You may not know that many different types of bees produce honey. Melipona bees are unique and rare. Honeybees are very well-known, not just because of their delicious product and cute butts sticking out of the flowers when gathering pollen but also because they are hard workers and extremely organized. This guide to Melipona bees vs. honeybees will explore everything you need to know about what these bees can do.
Stingless Bees
Melipona bees do not have stingers and are smaller in size compared to honeybees. They are originally from tropical zones, and the Mayan people cultivated them many years ago. They produce a type of honey that is more bitter but still delicious.
Melipona bees do not form honeycombs but instead live inside hollow trees or other hollow bases. Melipona farms are smaller because of their size and produce less honey. Like honeybees, they are extremely organized, but they can’t defend themselves in dangerous situations.
Medicinal Use of Melipona Honey
Honey is popular for its medicinal uses and benefits. The properties of the honey that Melipona bees produce can help with sore throats, asthma, and skin irritation. Most people that live in tropical countries believe in the curative powers of this type of honey.
European Bees
These are the popular honeybees that we know so well, famous for producing delicious amounts of sweet honey. Something that you may not know is that they are responsible for pollinating and ensuring plants, fruits, and trees grow and reproduce.
Honeybees are found all over the world; if anything were to happen to them, life as we know it would change drastically. If you have a honeybee farm or plan on starting one, there are some common problems with bees that you should know about, including which predators you should look out for.
Queen Bees
Honeybees have one queen; this bee is in charge of reproducing and growing a colony. Every other bee serves the queen, and each bee has a specific role to keep the queen safe and alive. When female honeybees integrate into the hive, the type of food they receive determines whether they become the queen or a worker. Worker bees will eat pollen, and the queen will eat royal jelly.
One interesting fact you need to know about Melipona bees vs. honeybees is that Melipona bees have multiple queens, rather than just one. If a colony consumes more pollen, there will be more queens to oversee the activities in the colony.
