Stingless Honey Bees at Socfindo Conservation

The stingless honey bees (Trigona sp.) are honey bees that do not have a stinger, making them an ideal choice for beekeeping. Although they produce less in quantity and a slightly sour taste compared to traditional honey, theirs is highly sought after and has a higher selling value.

The stingless honey bees, like other honey bees, rely on flowers as their main source of food. Flower nectar is used as an energy source while pollen is collected as a protein source. Excess nectar and pollen will be stored in the hive in the form of propolis, which is made by the bee and used as a sealant within the hive.

Socfindo Conservation became acquainted with stingless bees during the Covid pandemic, when words were spread around their honey’s so-called superior characteristics. Whether this was proven or not, our team was enthusiastic about increased pollination of plants and fruits in the garden, together with producing a rare and delicious food product.

Basically, the stingless bees are quite easy to keep and maintain, as long as there are lots of flowers around the hive which can be relied upon as a source of nectar and pollen.

Some of the plants that are proving very popular with stingless bees in our garden at Socfindo Conservation are the following fruit trees: oranges, guava, star fruit, coffee providing pollen and nectar throughout the year. Meanwhile, flowering plants such as sunflowers, bridal tears, chrysanthemums, turnera are additional options for stingless bees not only because they grow quite easily but also produce a strong regular flowering bloom.