D3134: Biodiversity of Peruvian stingless bees (Apidae: Meliponini) and their associated melittophiles

Peru is home to a remarkable diversity of stingless bees, known as meliponines (Apidae: Meliponini). This group of bees is incredibly varied, with numerous species adapted to the country's wide range of ecological niches, from the Amazon rainforest to Andean cloud forests and coastal deserts. This study aimed to survey the diversity of stingless bees and contribute significantly to the knowledge of the richness of the Amazonian Meliponini bees, particularly those kept by indigenous communities in Peru. These communities have a deep understanding of meliponine ecology and have historically practiced sustainable beekeeping, known as meliponiculture, for medicinal, nutritional, and spiritual purposes. Collaborative conservation strategies that involve indigenous knowledge and practices are essential for sustaining these vital pollinators and their ecological networks in the changing climate. This group of bees has long-standing evolutionary and ecological relationships with melittophiles, although these relationships are poorly understood. Live collection of adult forager bees from flowers and managed and wild nests, including sampling of melittophiles, was conducted. Bees and melittophiles were analyzed using gas chromatography mass spectrometry to determine cuticular hydrocarbon profiles. Subsequently, work on meliponine and melittophile integrative taxonomy including morphological and molecular data was conducted. By understanding the relationships of meliponines and melittophiles, we can better understand what is necessary to aid indigenous efforts in the conservation of meliponine diversity, especially as these bees face threats from deforestation, agricultural expansion, and climate change.