Plebeia remota
| Plebeia remota | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Suborder: | Apocrita |
| Superfamily: | Apoidea |
| Family: | Apidae |
| Subfamily: | Apinae |
| Tribe: | Meliponini |
| Genus: | Plebeia |
| Species: | P. remota |
| Binomial name | |
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Plebeia remota (Holmberg, 1903) |
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| Range of P. remota | |
Plebeia remota is a species of stingless bee that is in the family Apidae and tribe Meliponini. Bees of the species are normally found in a few states in southern Brazil and their nests can be found in tree cavities. Depending on the region, P. remota may have a different morphology and exhibit different behaviors. The bee's diet consists of nectar and pollen that are collected intensely from a few sources. Researchers have conducted a multitude of studies analyzing the changes that occur in the colony during reproductive diapause and what happens during the Provisioning and Oviposition Process or POP.
P. remota is a member of the order Hymenoptera, which is the insect order comprising bees, wasps and ants. Within Hymenoptera, it belongs to the family Apidae. This bee belongs in the tribe Meliponini. The greatest number of Meliponini species reside in the Neotropics where there are about 300 species known. Within the genus Plebeia, there are about 30 species described. Like the other species in Meliponini, P. remota is a stingless bee.
P. remota is a small bee, roughly about 3–6 mm in length. It shows characteristics of bees in the genus Plebeia which include whitish or yellow stripes on the face and thorax. Like other species in Meliponini, it exhibits a trigoniform body structure, sparse hair and reduced wing venation.
The nests of P. remota normally consist of a small, propolis entrance that is only as large as the head of the worker bee, a pile of 8-10 horizontal combs away from the entrance, honey pots and pollen pots that are located close to the combs and entrance respectively, and sites for resin storage and waste materials. The waste materials are disposed of during the daytime.
The distribution range of P. remota is small compared to other bee species. They are normally found in southern Brazil in the states of Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul. The nests of P. remota are usually found in tree cavities; however, finding them in nature is difficult since the size of the entrance is very small. The nests of P. remota can house up to 5,000 bees.
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