Behavioral mediators of social organization in social Hymenoptera: nest defense in Jataí stingless bees, Tetragonisca angustula

• Grant number: 11/23374-8
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Visiting Researcher Grant - International
• Start date: February 23, 2012
• End date: March 21, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Animal Behavior
• Principal Investigator: Fábio Santos do Nascimento
• Grantee: Fábio Santos do Nascimento
• Visiting researcher: Francis Ratnieks
• Visiting researcher institution: University of Sussex (US), England
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 10/10027-5 - Behavioural mediation, chemical signalisation and physiological aspects regulating the social organization in hymenopterans, AP.JP

Abstract

With several hundred species, the stingless bees (Meliponini) are the largest group of highly eusocial bees. As their name suggests, a distinctive feature of the stingless bees is the evolutionary loss of the sting. However, stingless bees are not defenceless and show many adaptations to defence against parasites and predators.The aim of this project is to study the alternative strategies that Tetragonisca angustula uses as nest defense. (AU)