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Animal profile

Stingless Bee

InsectaTropical and subtropical forest and savanna, nesting in tree hollows, walls and underground cavities

Field profile

Stingless bees are the tribe Meliponini, highly social bees that live in perennial colonies with a single queen. They build nests of wax mixed with plant resin and store honey in clustered pots rather than flat comb. Several species have been kept for honey for centuries.

Scope note

This is an editorial profile, not a diagnostic field-identification guide or a substitute for current conservation assessments. Follow the cited sources on each fact for the evidence trail.

Published field notes

2026-09-06

Stingless Bee

Stingless bees defend the nest by biting instead

Their sting is reduced to a useless stub, so defence falls to mandibles, resin and sheer numbers. Some species bite hard enough to draw blood, and a few smear caustic plant secretions into the wound.

Read with evidence →

Stingless Bee | Daily Animal Facts