Stingless bees improve apple pollination and production

by Blandina Felipe Viana et al.

A stingless bee visiting an apple flower (Photo by: Tiago Mahlmann)

The use of Africanised honeybee (Apis mellifera scutellata Lepeletier) hives to increase pollination success in apple orchards is a widespread practice. However, this study is the first to investigate the number of honeybee hives ha^-1 required to increase the production of fruits and seeds as well as the potential contribution of the stingless bee Mandaçaia (Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides Lepeletier). 

Read the whole summary in: English!
Read the scientific publication in JPE.