Ecological and socioeconomic aspects of meliponiculture in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

Abstract

Objective: Describe the main economic and ecological characteristics in the production of crops of native stingless bees (NSB) in the Yucatan peninsula (YP), Mexico.

Design/methodology/approach: Through the snowball method, an exhaustive search for references on meliponiculture was carried out, using keywords individually or in combination, such as meliponiculture, Melipona, native stingless bee, Mayan meliponiculture, Yucatan peninsula, etc.

Results: In Campeche and Yucatán there are a total of 216 producers who have a total of 3362 jobones destined for meliponiculture. However, economic and ecological studies are scarce and do not allow to know in depth the benefits of NSB in the YP, that is, information on production costs and economic spillover that would be obtained with the preservation of the NSB.

Limitations on study/implications: This study describes the socioeconomic and ecological aspects of native stingless bees in the Yucatán peninsula, México. Findings/conclusions: Meliponiculture is an important activity from the cultural aspect, therefore its rescue and conservation is urgent; on the other hand, the selling cost of Melipona honey is higher compared to honey from the bee Apis mellifera L., being an economic alternative for producers in rural communities.