''Trigona'' is one of the largest genera of stingless bees, comprising about 32 species, exclusively occurring in the New World, and formerly including many more subgenera than the present assemblage; many of these former subgenera have been elevated to generic status.Michener, C.D. (2000). The Bees of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press

Range

''Trigona'' species occur throughout the Neotropical region, including South and Central America, the Mexican lowlands, and the Caribbean islands. They can occur in forests, savannas, and man made environments. ''Trigona'' bees are active all year round, although they are less active in cool environments. Trigona caixa nordestina

Nesting

''Trigona'' nests are constructed from wax they produce and plant resins they collect. They usually nest in tree cavities and underground.

Vulture bees

Vulture bee Vulture bees, also known as carrion bees, are a small group of three closely related South American stingless bee species in the genus ''Trigona'' which feed on rotting meat. Vulture bees produce a honey-like substance which is not derived from ...

s comprise three ''Trigona'' species, and are the only bees known to be scavengers. These bees collect and feed on dead animal flesh.

Communication

Some species of ''Trigona'' bees use saliva to lay scent trails guiding nest mates to a food source. Some species of ''Trigona'' use eavesdropping which help them detect food sources being exploited by competitors.

Selected species

* ''

Trigona branneri ''Trigona branneri'' is a species of eusocial stingless bee in the family Apidae and tribe Meliponini. See also * ''Trigona spinipes ''Trigona spinipes'' is a species of stingless bee. It occurs in Brazil, where it is called ''arapuá'', ' ...

''—Mato Grosso (Brazil) * ''

Trigona chanchamayoensis ''Trigona chanchamayoensis'' is a species of eusocial stingless bee in the family Apidae and tribe Meliponini Stingless bees, sometimes called stingless honey bees or simply meliponines, are a large group of bees (about 550 described species), ...

''—Mato Grosso (Brazil) * ''

Trigona cilipes ''Trigona cilipes'' is a species of eusocial stingless bee in the family Apidae and tribe Meliponini Stingless bees, sometimes called stingless honey bees or simply meliponines, are a large group of bees (about 550 described species), comprisi ...

''—Americas * ''

Trigona corvina ''Trigona corvina'' ( Cockerell, 1913) is a species of stingless bee that lives primarily in Central and South America. In Panama, they are sometimes known as zagañas. They live in protective nests high in the trees, but they can be extremely a ...

'' - Central and South America * '' Trigona crassipes'' (Fabricius, 1793) * '' Trigona ferricauda''—Americas * ''

Trigona fulviventris ''Trigona fulviventris'', known by the common names ''culo-de-vaca'', ''culo-de-señora'', ''mu'ul-kab'', ''culo-de-buey'', and ''culo-de-vieja'', is a species of stingless bee found in Mexico and neotropical regions of Central and South America. ...

''—Mexico to Colombia * '' Trigona fuscipennis''—Mexico to Brasil. * '' Trigona hyalinata''—Mato Grosso (Brazil) * ''

Trigona hypogea ''Trigona hypogea'' is a species of stingless bee from the Neotropics; it is unusual in that it is one of only three known species of bee that exclusively uses carrion as a protein source, rather than pollen,Roubik, D.W. (1982)"Obligate Necropha ...

'' (Silvestri, 1902) * '' Trigona necrophaga'' (Camargo & Roubik, 1991) * '' Trigona nigerrima''—Americas (Mexico, Costa Rica) * '' Trigona nigra''—Mexico * ''

Trigona pallens ''Trigona pallens'', known as abelha-olho-de-vidro ("glass-eye bee") in Brazil,Costa, Luciano (2019). Guia Fotográfico de Identificação de Abelhas Sem Ferrão para resgate em áreas de supressão florestal'. Belém: Instituto Tecnológico Vale ...

''—Americas * '' Trigona recursa''—Mato Grosso (Brazil) * '' Trigona silvestriana''—Americas (Costa Rica) * '' Trigona spinipes''—''arapuá'' (Brazil)

References

External links

*http://www2.biology.sc.chula.ac.th/web%20of%20NHJCU%20PDF/7-1,%2071-74.pdf {{DEFAULTSORT:Trigona (Genus) Bee genera Taxa named by Louis Jurine