Bees are often perceived as insects with a painful stinger. However, not all bees can sting. Some species, and even certain individuals, lack this ability entirely. This article explores why some bees never could sting, challenging common assumptions about these important pollinators.
Understanding Stingless Bees
Stingless bees, belonging to the tribe Meliponini, are a large group of social bees. Despite their name, these bees possess a highly reduced, non-functional stinger, meaning they cannot inject venom or defend themselves like familiar honeybees.
These bees range from 2 to 15 mm in body length, often exhibiting muted colors like black, yellow, brown, or red. Stingless bees are eusocial, living in cooperative colonies centered around a queen. Female worker bees collect food, care for young, and defend the nest.
Global Diversity and Unique Behaviors
Stingless bees are found primarily in tropical and subtropical regions globally, including Africa, Southeast Asia, Australia, and tropical America. Their diversity is extensive, with over 600 species across dozens of genera like Melipona, Trigona, and Scaptotrigona. This group contains more species than bumblebees, honeybees, and orchid bees combined.
Lacking a functional stinger, these bees have developed alternative defense strategies. Many species employ strong mandibles to inflict a painful bite when threatened. Some stingless bees also secrete irritant fluids or use sticky resins to deter predators. For example, Tetragonisca angustula has specialized soldier bees, larger workers with distinct coloration, dedicated to colony defense.
Beyond the Sting: Male Bees and Other Considerations
Male bees, often called drones, across all bee species do not possess a stinger. The stinger, a modified egg-laying organ (ovipositor), is present only in female bees; males lack this structure as they do not lay eggs.
While female bees generally possess a stinger, some are docile and rarely sting unless severely provoked. For instance, many female mining bees (family Andrenidae) and certain leaf-cutting bees (family Megachilidae) have stingers but are not aggressive.
Ecological Significance
Stingless bees are important pollinators in their native tropical and subtropical ecosystems. They contribute significantly to the reproduction of numerous plant species, including wild flora, fruits, vegetables, and agricultural crops. These bees are efficient pollinators, sometimes even outperforming honeybees for certain plant species.
Beyond pollination, stingless bees also produce honey, often called “pot honey,” stored in unique pots made from resin, wax, and plant materials. This honey has a higher moisture content and a distinct flavor profile, and in many regions, it is valued for its medicinal properties. The practice of keeping stingless bees for honey, known as meliponiculture, has been a cultural and economic activity for centuries in various indigenous communities, particularly in the Americas.