Development of Tools to Understand the Relationship between Good Management Practices and Nest Losses in Meliponiculture: A Pilot Study in Latin American Countries

Abstract

Insect pollination services amount to USD 235-577 billion. Seventy five percent of agricultural production for human consumption depends on pollination, mainly by bees. A decline in pollinators, including Meliponini tribe bees, will impact the economy, food security, human health, and ecosystem stability, especially in tropical forests where stingless bees are the main pollinators. The objective of this survey was to understand the relationship between good management practices and nest losses in meliponiculture, encompassing biosecurity and conservation criteria. A 36-question survey was organized and spread. We received 92 responses, representing 4548 managed nests. The primary motivation for engaging in meliponiculture was biodiversity conservation (92%). More than 50% of the questions on biosecurity were answered as "applied". Hand washing before any activity with bees was the main rule, followed by material sterilization and personal protective equipment use. The annual mortality rate of stingless bee nests was estimated at 15%. Nest invaders (72%) and nearby sources of pollution (60%) were identified as the main potential causes of nest losses. From a general perspective, meliponiculture practices continue to expand remarkably. The implementation of effective nest management strategies is associated with a reduction in nest losses. It is important to consider One Health's perspective to ensure optimal management practices.

Keywords: Latin America; biosecurity; evaluation tools; management; nest loss; practices; stingless bees.

Figure 1

Survey participation by country. The bars represent the number of completed surveys (y-axis) per country (x-axis).

Figure 2

Application of basic biosecurity standards in stingless bee nests. Percentage of compliance (y-axis) with specific biosecurity standards in stingless bee nests (x-axis). Ordered from highest to lowest and differentiated by stage during nest management.

Figure 3

Presence of invaders in stingless bee nests. List (y-axis) and percentage of stingless bee nest invaders reported (x-axis). Sorted from highest to lowest number of reports. Other invaders include just one report of Euglossini and Bombini bees, crickets, mammals, blank soldier fly (Hermetia illucens), termites, and arapuá bee (Trigona spinipes).

Figure 4

Presence of unusual symptoms in stingless bees. List (y-axis) and percentage of reported unusual clinical symptoms in stingless bees (x-axis). Sorted from most to least severe. Other symptoms include just one report of death by pesticides and invasion by the same species.

Figure 5

The kernel density estimate of the nest death rate. X-axis: probability density. Y-axis: nest death rate calculated and expressed as a percentage (scale between 0 and 100%). The red vertical line at 15% represents the observed cut-off point to separate the population into two parts.

Figure 6

The relation between dependent and independent variables. (a) The inverse relation between the overall score and nest death rate. (b) The inverse relation between the index of the best meliponicultor and the nest death rate. Legend: NDR—nest death rate.

Figure 7

A boxplot of the overall score (y-axis) vs. the estimated nest death rate (x-axis). Population division is visualized considering the estimated mortality rate. NDR: nest death rate. Legend: The horizontal bold line in the rectangle represents the median of the overall score; the solid lines at the top and bottom of each rectangle represent, respectively, the first and third quartiles; adjacent lines to the whiskers represent the limits of the 95% confidence interval.

Figure 8

Spider tool. Overview of compliance in each analyzed area: social aspects, modern techniques, health, biosafety, and conservation. (a) The percentage of compliance based on the theoretical best score. (b) The percentage of compliance based on the score obtained by the best meliponicultor. INF: socio-demographic information. GMP: good management practices. CONSERV: environment and conservation. BIOSEC: biosecurity measures. TECHN: producer training and modern techniques.

Figure 9

Barometer tool. Summary of the general status of the stingless bee keeper respondent population in terms of good management practice compliance. (a) Status based on the theoretical best score (Q1 = 25.8, Q3 = 39.6). (b) Status based on the score obtained by the best meliponicultor (Q1 = 31.3, Q3 = 48.03). Legend: The barometer was divided in three zones, using quartiles (Q1 and Q3) of the overall score. Each zone has an action proposal, i.e., red zone: to write an action plan, implement it, and audit again within a month; orange zone: to take corrective actions and check their implementation; green zone: the management and practices are the best.