Today there are approximately 500 Mayan families who still keep Melipona and Trigona stingless bees.
Unfortunatly, the non-Apis species of honeybees have been cultured or robbed for honey. The problem seems to be that people are harvesting too much honey from their hives and not leaving the bees enough to sustain them and keep them alive. :o(
The stingless bee and its culture are dying out due to deforestation, pesticides, and the labor intensivity of its honey production, and is in some danger of becoming extinct.
Here\'s a fun trivia question:
What odd tool did Mayan beekeepers use?
Click on the question and read the article for the answer. :o)
