Nesting structure of stingless bees, Lophotrigona canifrons Smith and Tetragonula iridipennis Smith (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in natural forests of Nagaland, India

Abstract

The nesting sites of two species of stingless bees were located in Medziphema and Punglwa village which fall under the Dimapur and Peren districts of Nagaland. The nest of Lophotrigona canifrons Smith is subterranean in nature constructed inside cavities below ground and that of Tetragonula iridipennis Smith is arboreal in nature constructed on tree trunks inside cavities. The length and width of the entrance tube of T. irridipennis measured 26mm in length, 22mm in width and the total length of the tube including the accessed tube that connected with the nest measured 70mm. The area of the honey in T. irridipennis was 80x60x50mm, with 112g stored honey and 0.72g individual honey pot. In the case of L. canifrons length of the entrance tube was 20 mm and width 15 mm for the underground nest-1 (UG-1); and for the UG-II, the length and width measured 10mm and 14mm respectively. The honey pots of L. canifrons were dark brown to black in colour just like that of pollen pots. For UG-I, the honey area was 100x65x59mm; with 127g honey and 0.78g single honey pot. Similarly, in UG-II the honey area was 70x62x55mm with 114g honey and 0.80g of a single honey pot.