Estudos das abelhas-sem-ferrão no assentamento taquaral, município de Corumbá – MS

Abstract

Native stingless bees are popularly known as indigenous bees or meliponines in Brazil. They constitute a large group of pollinator insects, primarily found in tropical and subtropical regions. In Brazil, 32 genera of stingless bees have been identified, totaling 388 species; out of which, 69 species belong to the Melipona genus. The research aimed to study what farmers in the Taquaral Settlement know about the breeding of native stingless bees and the use of bee products in home medicine. The research employs a qualitative-quantitative approach with the farmers of the Taquaral Settlement. The analyses rely on primary and secondary data: primary data result from interviews with 30 farmers from the Taquaral Settlement, located in the municipality of Corumbá, Mato Grosso do Sul; while secondary data come from documentary research in articles, dissertations, theses, and minutes of the Association of Family Agriculture Beekeepers of Corumbá. Data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, the Secretariat of Environment, Development, Science, Technology, and Innovation, and the National Institute of Colonization and Agrarian Reform were also used. The study found that the breeding of stingless bees in the Taquaral Settlement occurs in artisanal hives made from different types of materials and models. The results also indicated that the jataí species is the most known and bred stingless bee among the farmers, and docility was identified as a fundamental element for its breeding. Regarding the use of honey in home medicine, it was observed that the most frequent use is for respiratory treatment and combating cataracts.