Homing ability of Melipona quadrifasciata in fragmented landscapes extends to 7.5 km

Understanding how pollinators navigate human-modified landscapes is essential for conservation planning, yet movement ecology remains poorly resolved for most stingless bees. We experimentally assessed the homing ability of Melipona quadrifasciata by releasing 1,200 RFID-tagged workers across four seasonal periods. A total of 165 individuals returned (13.75%), including two bees that successfully returned from 7.5 km—the longest homing distance recorded for this species. Return probability declined steadily with distance (~ 41% lower odds per km), with model comparison showing that this pattern does not reflect a discrete homing threshold. Landscape structure significantly influenced navigational success: higher maximum NDVI along least-cost corridors increased return probability, while greater NDWI range along corridors—indicating moisture variability—also favored successful returns. Survival analyses yielded consistent patterns for return time, and including remote-sensing metrics substantially improved model performance relative to distance-only formulations. A multi-criteria prioritization revealed a temporally dynamic but spatially constrained network of return routes, including a subset of persistent core corridors that remained functional across all seasons, in contrast with transient seasonal corridors sensitive to environmental fluctuations. Collectively, our findings show that M. quadrifasciata possesses greater navigational capacity than previously assumed and that stable structural features of the landscape repeatedly provide favorable conditions for orientation and successful homing. By integrating RFID tracking, remote sensing, and resistance-based modeling, this study provides an empirical framework for identifying pollinator movement corridors and guiding connectivity-oriented conservation strategies in fragmented tropical landscapes. Melipona quadrifasciata returned from up to 7.5 km, extending known navigational limits. Return probability declines sharply with distance, with very low homing success beyond 5 km. Vegetation vigor (NDVI maxima) increased homing success. Least-cost paths revealed core and seasonal return corridors.