Despite the loss of the stig apparatus, Meliponini (stigless) bees have not lost their
ability to defend themselves. Several defensive strategies have been described for
the group, including bitig and resin depositin. Defensive behavior can be mediated
by chemical communicatin, for example through the use of alarm pheromones.
The Stigless bee species Melipona flvolineata Friese is an important species for
meliponiculture in Brazil, especially in the Amazon region. In order to improve the
current management methods for the species, this study aimed to describe the range
of defensive strategies used by the stigless bee M. flvolineata towards inter and
intraspecifi chemical signals known to trigger defensive responses in related species,
namely the head secretins of the robber bee Lestrimelitt limao (Smith) and the
mandibular gland extract of conspecifis M. flvolineata workers. The stiuli provoked
diffrent defensive reactins. The head secretins of the robber bee repelled returning
foragers, elicited the enclosing of the nest entrance tube with batumen balls and the
agglomeratin of workers outside the box. In contrast, the mandibular gland extract
elicited aggression towards the pheromone depositin site, transport of resin and
generalised agitated flghts. Our results confim the role of the mandibular gland as
a source of alarm pheromone in this species and the chemical triggering of a specifi
defensive response to the known cleptoparasite L. limao.