Description

Copyright infringement not intended

Picture Courtesy: DOWNTOEARTH

Context

The provincial municipality of Satipo in the Peruvian Amazon has passed an ordinance granting legal rights to native stingless bees.

Peru Grants Legal Rights to Native Stingless Bees

The Provincial Municipality of Satipo in Peru has granted native stingless bees legal rights, making them the first insects globally to achieve this status.

The ordinance applies within the Avireri VRAEM Biosphere Reserve, a large protected area in central Peru established by UNESCO in 2021.

The municipal ordinance legally establishes a "Declaration of Rights" for the bees.

Right to exist and thrive: Acknowledges the intrinsic right of the bees to live and flourish.
Right to maintain healthy populations: Protects the bees' ability to sustain their numbers for ecological balance.
Right to a healthy habitat free from pollution: Guarantees a clean environment, free from harmful substances like pesticides.
Right to ecologically stable climatic conditions: Addresses the threat of climate change by recognizing their need for a stable climate.
Right to regenerate their natural cycles: Ensures their life cycles, nesting, and foraging are not disrupted.
Right to be legally represented: Allows for legal action to be taken on behalf of the bees in cases of harm or threat to their existence.

About Stingless bees

Stingless bees, belonging to the tribe Meliponini, are a diverse group of more than 600 social bee species found in tropical and subtropical regions across the globe.

Unlike common honey bees, they have highly reduced stingers that cannot be used for defense.

Key Characteristics

Identification: Stingless bees are small, black/dark-bodied with yellow markings. They have two wing pairs, short antennae, large oval eyes, and an oval face with a pointed chin.

Habitat: They nest in tree trunks, termite mounds, wall cavities, or wooden boxes. Nests, made of resin, mud, and wax, contain honey pots and brood cells arranged spirally or randomly.

Diet: Their diet includes nectar and pollen. Pollen is used to make protein balls for larval growth. Some species also feed on rotting fruits or carrion.

Lifecycle: The queen mates once. Fertilized eggs yield workers or queens (diet-dependent); unfertilized eggs become drones.

Defense Mechanism: These insects lack stingers, bite using their mandibles. Some species, like Trigona, can also inject venom when they bite.

Honey and Medicinal Value

Stingless bee honey, often called "pot-honey" or "sugarbag," is prized for its unique properties:

Flavor and Texture: It is more liquid than commercial honey and has a distinctive "bush" taste—a complex mix of sweet and sour with hints of fruit.
Medicinal Properties: Traditionally used for wounds, burns, and respiratory issues, research confirms it contains high antioxidants and compounds with antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and potential anti-cancer properties.
Rare Sugar: Some species produce honey containing trehalulose, a rare sugar with a low glycemic index that does not cause blood sugar spikes.

Ecological and Economic Significance

Keystone Pollinators: They pollinate over 80% of Amazonian flora, which is vital for forest regeneration, biodiversity, and ecosystem stability.
Food Security: They pollinate globally vital crops like coffee, chocolate, avocados, and blueberries, supporting both local and international markets.
Biocultural Heritage: For Indigenous communities like the Asháninka, relies on these bees for honey and wax used in their traditional medicine, food, and rituals.

Threats Facing Native Stingless Bees

Deforestation: Widespread habitat loss due to illegal logging, agriculture, and cattle grazing is the primary threat.
Climate Change: Rising temperatures and altered weather patterns disrupt the bees' natural cycles and habitats.
Pesticides: The extensive use of pesticides in agriculture harms and kills these sensitive pollinators.
Competition: The introduction of non-native European honeybees (Apis mellifera) creates competition for resources and displace native bee populations.

Source: DOWNTOEARTH

Attempt Daily Quiz

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. Consider the following statements regarding Amazonian Stingless bees:

1. They belong to the tribe Meliponini and are the primary pollinators of the Amazonian flora.

2. Unlike honeybees, they lack a functional stinger and defend their hives through biting or secreting irritants.

3. Ecuador is the first country to grant them specific legal rights under the 'Rights of Nature' constitutional provision.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A) 1 and 2 only

B) 2 and 3 only

C) 1 and 3 only

D) 1, 2, and 3

Answer: A

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: Amazonian stingless bees (tribe Meliponini) are vital primary pollinators for most Amazonian flora (over 80% in some areas), supporting biodiversity and crucial crops like coffee and chocolate.

Statement 2 is correct: Stingless bees, unlike European honeybees, have a highly reduced, non-functional stinger. They defend their nests by biting, swarming, or secreting irritant chemicals (like formic acid) or sticky resins.

Statement 3 is incorrect: The provincial municipality of Satipo, Peru, made a world-first move by adopting a declaration and ordinance granting native stingless bees legal rights under the 'Rights of Nature' concept.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

They are bees from the Meliponini tribe (Apidae family) that have evolved to lack a functional stinger, relying on other defense methods like biting or resin, and are vital tropical pollinators.

It is prized for its high antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. It is traditionally used to treat respiratory issues, wounds, and skin infections.

India has not formally adopted a 'Rights of Nature' framework at the national level. However, its judiciary has progressively expanded environmental protections. The Supreme Court has interpreted Article 21 (Right to Life) to include the right to a clean and healthy environment, and Article 51A(g) imposes a duty on citizens to have compassion for living creatures.