The research entitled: Preliminary results of the captive management of the Bee of the Earth (Meliphona beecheii, var. Fulvipea G.), in three areas of the forest of the Sierra de Los Bodies, Aimed To assess elements of the former Bee situ management of the Earth to the characteristics of three areas of the study area (Ramon Gordo, El Abra and Paddle), by assessing some of the forms of exploitation and bio-ecological characteristics, to meet their specific and Contribute to the conservation of the species. The methodology was to conduct systematic observations of these indicators in three areas Concerning the municipality of La Palma, Pinar del Rio We discuss The possibility that these results suggest, at least in part, the prospect of managing this insect. At the conclusion of the investigations concluded that the methods of handling bees from Earth in the three Apiaries are coincident, so it should tap the procedures that have had positive results (ie putting mesh in the walls of the Apiary) and despise those with negative results (ie not taking Action to prevent attacks by ants).
Introduction
Sting less bees, also known as Earth or Solitary Bees Bees, a group of organisms are Economically, socially and culturally important to Native Americans Because they have been a source of food and medicine for thousands of years. In some areas, traditional knowledge about the uses and benefits of the products of these bees are in danger of being lost, due to the reduction of human contact with the natural environment (Lopez, 2001).
Bee species are highly distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of the planet, but the Bees of the genus Meliphona are exclusive of the New World. In America there are a variety of insects, Which have the greatest representation in southern Brazil and northern countries of the Rio de la Plata.
With the exception of Chile, are found in almost all countries in South America. They live by all Central America and warmer parts of Mexico (Lutzy, 1992), there are altogether 66 species and subspecies of Meliphonas in Mexico, Central America and the Antilles. In contrast, Melipona fauna is very poor, with few Representatives in the Lesser Antilles near the continent. Not known in the Bahamas, Puerto Rico and neighboring islands. In Cuba and Jamaica there is a single species.
The most widespread species in Mexico is the Meliphona beecheii Bennett. It alone is in a state of domesticity, as ranchers prefer to be very docile and Because of its high yield of honey. A variety of this is found in Cuba and Jamaica, Meliphona beecheii variety fulvipea Guerin.
Hives of the land is in the category of “species of high economic value expected” (IUCN, 1978, Pimentel and Ravelo, 2007), however Despite making honey and wax, high quality has not been exploited commercially until now. The people of Cuba, from the Aborigines to the present, have used it as an additional source of food and home remedies.
According to the farmers the honey is very good palate, and has also been shown by science that has a high nutritional value. Some authors (Von Furstenberg, 1978 and Asibey and Child 1990) have noted the benefits of wildlife for the developing countries, specifically FAO-UNEP (1985), Kile (1987) and NRC (1991), highlighted Bees as insects most valuable land for honey production as pollinators, Which may be one of the main sources of income to develop in these countries.
Beekeeping is becoming more important every day as a source of resources and as a promoter of biodiversity due to its role in pollination, both trees and shrubs and agricultural crops.
The Conservation of sting less bees depends on the conservation of forests and vice versa, the Intention of its development is not only to rebuild and protect the land, but also to try to restore the ecological balance.
Many of the trees used by bees to sting less Establish their nests are native forest species, however, the information that there is little or dispersed. These bees already in use since per-Columbian times (before 1492) by Native Americans, are in danger of extinction along with forests, so you should Implement projects where both are the focus of attention.
Given the development of urban agriculture and agriculture in general in our country, every day the need for pollinators is greater. The study of Earth’s Bees (Meliphona beecheii), an alternative to pollinate in urban, semi urban and farming households, this would be a dream to achieve success and lead to Increasing agricultural yields Because Of Increased efficiency in pollination, a contribution to environmental conservation and awareness of most of our bees and of course a new source of income for people in the Cuban countryside.
This research was conducted in an area Belonging to the forest of the Cordillera de Guaniguanico (Sierra for the bodies), In which area, according to the opinion of The Residents and researchers (Pimentel and Ravelo, 2007), Bee Land is in danger of local extinction.
Problem: Insufficient knowledge of the captive management system of the bees to land (Meliphona beecheii) in three Apiaries in the forest of the Sierra of the organs.
Purpose: The captive management systems of the bees to land (Meliphona beecheii), used in three areas (Ramon Gordo, Paddle and El Abra) the forest of the Sierra of the organs.
Development
Honey production of native sting less bees (Melipona), has been a traditional activity in Cuba’s rural population living in mountainous and forested. Its economic importance has been Declining due to low productivity that Arises from various causes: lack of knowledge to spread the colonies, lack of hives with movable parts that enable timely review and assistant to the colonies with food, brood and pollen reserves, loss of forested areas where they used Pecorino and find nesting sites and lack of selection and propagation of queens.
In order to increase honey production and Ensure the profitability of the activity, aims to complement and integrate existing knowledge in technological systems, grounded in the conservation of forest resources and wildlife, are able to pay back the exploitation of beecheii Meliphona making, consequently, sustainable economic activity that constitutive relief for farmers.
Beekeeping has an important place in human life Because of the direct and indirect benefits that it provides, for example, about 30% of human food comes from plants pollinated by bees (O’Toole, 1994; Mac Gregory, 1976) estimates that more than 90 crops are benefiting from bee pollination to U.S. and only for the value of this service is estimated at 18 billion dollars (Sanford, 1998) and economic value of pollination leaves clear that the conservation of pollinators and natural systems are extremely important (Bachmann and Nathan, 1996).
It is known that many plants depend on insects for reproduction and that many of them disappear from the face of the earth without them. The land for bee foraging habits and anatomical structures, occupies a special place for this work. In recent years, have appeared on radio and written press, alarming news about the possible causes and the ecological disaster that would mean the disappearance of this beneficial insect Because of the mites and pesticides.
The Bee of the Earth (Meliphona beecheii)
The land bee is one of the least studied of the insect fauna Cuban Despite being an endemic and present prospects for its management and economic exploitation. In this review only deal with some features of this species.
Taxonomic Classification of Earth Bee (Schwarz, 2004).
Class: Insects.
Order: Hymenoptera.
Suborder: Apoidea.
Gender: Meliphona.
Family: Meliponidae.
Species: Meliphona beecheii.
Other authors argue that all social bees Apidae family belongs to the order Hymenoptera, Avoided super family, which include three subfamilies: bumblebees and euglosidos (Bambina), stingless bees (Meliponinae) and honey bees (Apis mellifera), introduced to America in the Sixteenth century, from Europe and Africa (Michener, 1994)
Ecology
The studies on the ecology of this species are of great significance for the design of a management methodology Bee Earth, while encouraging conservation.
In the American tropics Meliponinae bees of the subfamilies are numerous in species and individuals, according to 1991 and Micherer Roubik et al., 2006, who studied the architecture of nests, and other aspects of MELIPONINA of the Colombian Caribbean region.
The Melipona nests in almost any cavity that are available, from holes in trees, walls or floors, including grave in cemeteries (Nates, 1990), nests or nests abandoned Longhorn beetle live Termes (Mitchener 1994) and Ants (Parra, 1990) conditioning these sites to their needs are also capable of building nests exposed slopes of branches of trees or on walls of buildings.
The foundation of sting less bee nests is an event that also has many rituals. Wille and Orozco (1975) have observed this process in Part Mona Cupric and conclude that there is greater dependence of the hive mother, where food removed and building materials throughout the time of the founding of the nest. The queen or queens are the last to arrive at new nesting place and this happens when everything is organized.
Because of the use of large tracts of monoculture, the fragmentation of habitats and intensive farming among others, the populations of wild bees and pollination are addressed Impoverished crop has become a necessity for agriculture (William and Carreck, 1994).
Proceeds from the experience, traditionally, this has been done with Apis mellifera, however, every day sting less bees are used in countries like the U.S. and Japan, as the pollination of A. mellifera is often inefficient (O’Toole, 1994; Sanford, 1998). And sometimes to pollinate the crop area is very large compared with the number of colonies available, as in Israel and U.S. almonds, or beekeepers do not feel Encouraged Because of the costs of transportation of hives, Which can also occur mellifera Bees are not Attracted to the crop or are physically ill-adapted to pollinate. According to research by O’Toole (1994), wild bees include a diverse group grouped into seven families, comprising approximately 95% of the 20 000 bees known. Based on its nesting behavior can be divided into two groups: those that build nests on the ground and those that use PreExisting cavities.
Among the species of wild bees for pollination are used: Bombus terrestris, Megachile rotundata, Nomi melanderi, Osmia rufa, O. Cornuta, O. Lingerie and O. conformist (Heemert et al., 1990; Torchio, 1991; Batra, 1997 and Stubbs and Drummond, 1997).
Sting less bees, have developed a highly social organization and living in permanent settlements and multiply through swarms. Stingless bees occur in tropical and subtropical regions of all continents, of which about 400 known species (50 genera) of which more than 300 species are in Latin (Velthuis, 1997)
Sting less bees are organisms that have a high diversity in the tropics. It is estimated that there are over 400 species in America (Crane, 1994). This diversity is affected by over-exploitation of the resource and habitat alteration where you live (Veillon, 1977).
Knowledge of the breeding patterns of sting less bees, a better understanding of their adaptation to different habitats and will provide more information about the ethology of the group. The nests have been studied and described from different viewpoints by different authors (Chapman, 1970; Nogueira (1970), Wille and Michener (1973), Nates (1985), Parra (1990).
The MELIPONINA nest in almost any cavity that are available, from holes in trees, floor or walls, including grave in cemeteries (Nates, 1990), abandoned nests of Nasutitermes nests and ants live (Michener 1990), conditioning these sites to your needs, are also capable of building nests exposed slopes of branches of trees or on walls of buildings (Parra 1990).
The Heights to Which nests range from ground level, Which are underground and up to 12Mt. For Trigona amazonensis, it is notable the tendency of some species to nest near the towns, even within the dwellings and even in the tombs of the cemetery as happens most frequently in trogon narrow, Nanotrigona mellaria and trogon sp (Book out, 1994).
External architecture. In three main ways to build their nests:
• Nests covered.
• Nests exposed.
• Nests partially exposed or semi exposed.
Description of sting less bee generates
Gender Partamona: Made up of several species like Scaptotrigona and some species of the subgenus Trigona. Patrimony is distinguished by having yellow markings on the face and the conformation of the posterior tibia is enlarged and is occupied by a large spoon-shaped cubicle. Bees are markedly defensive biting, get tangled in your hair and are inserted into the holes in the face of intruders.
Usually make their nests of land, covered or semiexpuestos at the base of trees or stone walls, mud brick and wood and termite nests, living or abandoned. The trumpet-shaped entrance and internal features mazes. Externally it looks like a termite.
Nanotrigona Gender: Characterized by small bees are a very strong score in the head and chest. Nest in cavities in walls, in tombs of cemeteries. They make nests entries into tubes of wax. They are rather shy and elusive (Heywood and Watson 1995).
Genus Trigona (Kile, 1987): It is the largest genus of MELIPONINA and widely distributed. It generates Differs from other American (except Oxitrigona and Cephalotrigona), in the presence of a longitudinal elevation on the inner surface of the posterior tibia covered with short hairs and smooth. This genus Differs from Meliphona not only morphology but also by the architecture of the nests and caste determination systems. Nests trigona genres, as in honeycombs Meliphona are horizontal, but sometimes trigona are flat while others are built in a spiral. Usually nest in cavities of trees dead or alive.
Gender Tetragonisca (Kile, 1987) Bees are small, thin and delicate, the workers are Characterized by a very small pollen basket. They nest in almost any cavity that are available. The entrance to the nest is a tube of wax-colored, porous, usually impregnated with resins, to fend off occasional invaders. Are highly prized for the quality of their honey, so keep them in farmers in the vicinity of their homes housed in drawers, baskets, gourds, etc. ..
Flora honey
The bee flora of tropical America, has been little studied, only known pre-1959 work “honey plants of Cuba” (Roig, 1954) and review other sources of information on the subject, are just simple lists of plants of doubtful practical value to The Beekeeper; in them sometimes, no reference to the real sources of nectar, a species that Contribute in no small proportion to the harvest of honey.
Flora bee is called the set of plants Whose flowers the bees get the nectar and pollen. Knowledge of the flora, or plant nectar and polliniferous each individual region, time and duration of flowering, and their relative value as sources of nectar, pollen or both substances simultaneously, it is essential To achieve good results in the production of honey on a commercial scale (Roig, 1988).
At present, attempts to combine forest management with the Bees, so that the bees Obtain food and shelter, while the trees Ensure Consequently pollination and seed production viable and healthy for future forest regeneration (Swenson, 1991).
This change in attitude favors floral diversity within the flight range of bees. Recall that its flight range is usually between 600 and 2400 m (Biesmeijer, 1997) and that the remnants of forest between these distances and crops can provide adequate stocks of Bees (Heard, 1999) and produce more honey under conditions of ecological balance and multi -flower (Hill and Webster, 1995), plus small patches of flowers attract and maintain these pollinator populations by Providing food.
The pollination of native forest species, helps conserve watersheds and ecological niches. Thus beekeeping at the international level is an input directly involved in agricultural production in developed countries, where there is a culture of using pollination and clean technologies for the development of the sector (and Cawghley Grunn 1996).
Materials and methods
Characterization of the study area.
Geographical location and study area boundaries.
According to the current political-administrative division of the country the study area is located in the municipalities of La Palma (The Open and farms pipes) and Los Palacios (hatchery Ramon Gordo).
This study area belongs to the west of the island of Cuba and is located in a contact zone where impact various geographical sub-regions are: Sierra for the bodies, Boards Heights, Vales and Mountains karstic reason Guacamaya extraordinary variety of fauna, flora and landscape (Nunez, 1982, Gutierrez and Rivera, 1985 and Pimentel, 2003). The predominant heights: Pico Pico Grande and Chico (Ares, 1999).
Mapped area is located between the flat rectangular coordinates 313,150 to 326,000 to 335,150 mt and 268,400 mt, of the map sheets at 1:25 000 scale, issued by the Cuban Institute of Geodesy and Cartography (ICGC, 1982).
Characterization of vegetation
In the present study area the vegetation:
• semi-deciduous Forest Mogote.
• Riverside Forest or Gallery.
• Pine.
• Engineers.
The remaining floors are occupied by grasses (Ramon Gordo in the areas of livestock enterprises Camille Cienfuegos), and areas devoted to agricultural crops, including: Cassava, Sweet Potato, Snuff, Vegetables, Coffee, Other (corn, beans, rice).
The vegetation present in the area are Characterized based on investigations (Collective of authors, 2003) and summarized below.
Semi deciduous forest antler: Training tree with the presence of species that lose their leaves during periods of reduced rainfall. Shrubs and forbs are scarce, with little development of the abundance of lianas and epiphytes. There is presence of palms and species of sclerophyllous leaves hardened and sometimes prickly. It is distributed in plains and hilly. Like its predecessors, these forests have given modifications for use of their forest resources
Gallery or Riverside Forest: With trees ranging from 15 to 20 m, with the presence of shrubs, herbs, lianas and epiphytes. Is conditioned on the banks of rivers and streams and is formed by the surrounding vegetation species that are more dependent on sunlight, especially the Palms.
Pines or Pine Forest: Training tree with aciculifolias species, ie those Whose leaves or needles are composed of “needle” pine as they are commonly known, are developed on soils derived from shale. They have a tree layer, consisting of male pine (Pinus caribaea) and P. Female (Pinus tropical is) endemic species occupying the more arid lands.
In the shrub layer, highlighting the presence of an endemic species: The Guayabita Del Pinar (Psidium salutare) also are present Malagueta (Xylopra aromatic), cow crab (Curatella americana), Peralejo (Byrsonima crassifolia), Cordoba (Pachyahtus polretii). The herbaceous layer is very dense, especially when the density of pine trees is low, abounding grasses of the genus Andropogon, and various creepers and vines (Sablon, 1999).
Xeric Forest of Mogote: The hummocks of the Sierra of the bodies have a much richer vegetation than the others. These hills, are a complex of plant formations, Which have their own characteristics depending on the soil where they develop, differentiating on the basis of the hummocks with fertile soil and moist semi-deciduous forest vegetation rich in species, while the walls xerophytes dominated vegetation by a very open, with trees and shrubs, with few herbaceous plants. At the summits, the vegetation is dense shrub and emergent trees.
For its difficult access, this vegetation has been little altered and is rich in endemic species, among which are: la Palma de la Sierra (Gaussian princes), Oak Cayman (Ekmanianthes actinophylla), Sierra Cuba (Catalysis festivals), the protocols (Sparthelia brihonii) and other exclusive of the Sierra for the bodies. Others are also endemic to western Cuba, including carbon (Bombasts cube sis) (Rivera, 1998).
Forest Oak or Holm oak: The oak forest is otherwise present in acid soils. This forest has a tree layer formation consisting of the species Quercus sagraeana, the only real oak in Cuba (Sablon, 1982). This training is excessively influenced by human activity since the man has used for breeding swine, to avail the production of fat-rich acorns very nutritious.
