Flight Activities of Melipona (Melikerria) fasciculata Smith, 1854 (Apidae: Meliponini) in Migratory Meliponiculture

The breeding of stingless bees (meliponiculture) often involves exchanging and selling nests and, sometimes, migrating colonies to take advantage of blooms in different locations. In this study, we analyzed the flight activities of Melipona fasciculata in the eastern Amazon region, before and after the migration of colonies in two municipalities in Maranhão, Brazil. The experimental analysis occurred over three periods: P.I (Palmeirândia), P.II (5 days after migration to Governador Nunes Freire), and P.III (30 days after P.II in Governador Nunes Freire). Flight activity was observed in three colonies for three consecutive days per period. The workers were active in the external environment all day (6 am to 5 pm), ceasing after 6 pm. The comparisons between the periods showed that after the transfer, there was an increase in the external activities of exit and pollen, although they did not differ statistically, being significant only for resin and clay. Correlation analysis with the time of day showed that exit behavior was most active in the morning. Nectar was the most exploited resource by the workers in all periods, followed by pollen, clay, and resin. The circular analysis showed a concentration of pollen and nectar collection between 9:30 am and 11:11 am, with these resources being collected earlier in P.II. The results show that the bees adapt quickly to the migration environment, reaching stabilization and similarity to their place of origin in a short time.