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The stingless bees are the most diverse group of highly social bees and are key species in our planet's tropical and subtropical regions, where they thrive. In Mexico, the management of stingless bees dates back centuries, and they were an essential part of the culture and cosmogony of native peoples like the Maya. In recent decades a vast amount of information has been gathered on stingless bees worldwide. This book summarizes various aspects of the biology and management of stingless bees, with special emphasis on the Mexican species and the traditions behind their cultivation. Much of the information presented here was produced by the author and the team of researchers at the Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán in the course of three decades of working with these insects. Given the breadth of its coverage, the book offers an equally valuable reference guide for academics, students and beekeepers alike.
List of contents
Chapter 1 Taxonomy and genetic diversity.- Chapter 2 - Nests and homeostasis.- Chapter 3 - Anatomy and physiology.- Chapter 4 - Caste determination and intra-colony relationships.- Chapter 5 - Organization of activities and communication.- Chapter 6 - Reproduction.- Chapter 7 - Meliponines and pollination.- Chapter 8 - Management and conservation.- Chapter 9 - Meliponiculture in Mexico - past, present and future
About the author
Dr José Javier G. Quezada-Euán is an entomologist with a specialization in bees. He completed his bachelor’s degree at the Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán in 1988 and his postgraduate studies at the University of Wales, Cardiff. He is an acknowledged expert on stingless bees, which he has worked with for nearly thirty years, and has published work on various aspects of the biology, conservation and management of these insects in different scientific journals.
Summary
The stingless bees are the most diverse group of highly social bees and are key species in our planet’s tropical and subtropical regions, where they thrive. In Mexico, the management of stingless bees dates back centuries, and they were an essential part of the culture and cosmogony of native peoples like the Maya. In recent decades a vast amount of information has been gathered on stingless bees worldwide. This book summarizes various aspects of the biology and management of stingless bees, with special emphasis on the Mexican species and the traditions behind their cultivation. Much of the information presented here was produced by the author and the team of researchers at the Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán in the course of three decades of working with these insects. Given the breadth of its coverage, the book offers an equally valuable reference guide for academics, students and beekeepers alike.
Additional text
“This book is a real first. It is highly illustrated with color photographs, bringing readers step by step into external and internal bee anatomy and pollination ecology … . Hope blossoms due to the efforts of Quezada-Euán and the biologists, beekeepers, conservationists, educators, anthropologists, and business-minded naturalists (such things matter deeply) who will find the book authoritative and use it to move forward.” (David Ward Roubik, The Quarterly Review of Biology, Vol. 94, September, 2019)
Report
"This book is a real first. It is highly illustrated with color photographs, bringing readers step by step into external and internal bee anatomy and pollination ecology ... . Hope blossoms due to the efforts of Quezada-Euán and the biologists, beekeepers, conservationists, educators, anthropologists, and business-minded naturalists (such things matter deeply) who will find the book authoritative and use it to move forward." (David Ward Roubik, The Quarterly Review of Biology, Vol. 94, September, 2019)
