Minute eusocial bee (worker length 3.8–4.5 mm) with slender, shiny black body and pale yellow bands on the first two abdominal tergites; thorax densely pilose with silvery hairs. Head broader than long; compound eyes oval; antennae geniculate with 11 segments in females. Mandibles narrow, adapted for resin collection. Forewings hyaline with reduced venation typical of Meliponini; hindwings minute. Queens are morphologically similar to workers but with distended abdomen. Males (4–5 mm) possess longer antennae and larger compound eyes. Species lacks functional sting—defence relies on biting and resin smearing at nest entrance. Nests are built in tree cavities, wall crevices or hollow bamboo, sealed by a brown cerumen tube (3–5 cm) that narrows to a 2 mm orifice.
males slightly larger with elongated antennae and enlarged eyes; queens with swollen gaster; workers smallest.
Workers 3.8–4.5 mm; queens 6–7 mm
≈ 4 mg (worker)
Workers 30–60 d; queens up to 3 yr
≈ 2–3 wk (post‑mating)
New queens mate within 4–7 d of emergence
Year‑round in humid tropics; queen production peaks May–July
Colony size 2 000–8 000 workers; ≈ 1 500 eggs mo⁻¹ by queen
Colony size 2 000–8 000 workers; ≈ 1 500 eggs mo⁻¹ by queen
Minute eusocial bee (worker length 3.8–4.5 mm) with slender, shiny black body and pale yellow bands on the first two abdominal tergites; thorax densely pilose with silvery hairs. Head broader than long; compound eyes oval; antennae geniculate with 11 segments in females. Mandibles narrow, adapted for resin collection. Forewings hyaline with reduced venation typical of Meliponini; hindwings minute. Queens are morphologically similar to workers but with distended abdomen. Males (4–5 mm) possess longer antennae and larger compound eyes. Species lacks functional sting—defence relies on biting and resin smearing at nest entrance. Nests are built in tree cavities, wall crevices or hollow bamboo, sealed by a brown cerumen tube (3–5 cm) that narrows to a 2 mm orifice.
Minute eusocial bee (worker length 3.8–4.5 mm) with slender, shiny black body and pale yellow bands on the first two abdominal tergites; thorax densely pilose with silvery hairs. Head broader than long; compound eyes oval; antennae geniculate with 11 segments in females. Mandibles narrow, adapted for resin collection. Forewings hyaline with reduced venation typical of Meliponini; hindwings minute. Queens are morphologically similar to workers but with distended abdomen. Males (4–5 mm) possess longer antennae and larger compound eyes. Species lacks functional sting—defence relies on biting and resin smearing at nest entrance. Nests are built in tree cavities, wall crevices or hollow bamboo, sealed by a brown cerumen tube (3–5 cm) that narrows to a 2 mm orifice.
Mariola honey (miel angelita) is prized medicinally for antimicrobial properties and commands prices > US $40 L⁻¹.
Stingless bees communicate food location via rapid “jitter” dances coupled with pheromone labial‑gland trails.
Colonies maintain constant brood‑chamber humidity (≈ 98 %) by water‑droplet deposition behaviour.
Resin collecting helps seal nest against army ants; mixture hardens into nearly impermeable “batumen”.
Queens are reared in oversized royal cells provisioned with richer larval food known as “mass provisioning.”
Erect, phalloid basidiome 15 – 25 cm tall arising from an ovate “egg.” Stipe white, spongy, honey‑combed (2–3 cm Ø) supporting an olive‑brown, slimy gleba on a conical cap (4–5 cm Ø) with reticulate pits. A delicate white lace‑like indusium (8–20 cm long) hangs from beneath the cap, forming a cylindrical skirt that may reach the substrate. Volva thick, white; base rooting. Gleba emits strong carrion‑like odour to attract dipteran vectors. Spores hyaline, elliptical, 3.5 × 2.0 µm. Basidiome matures rapidly (≈ 10 h) and collapses within 1–2 days.
