**2.3 Nest structure**

Although a high variation in size is found in nests of different stingless bee species, the basic materials and patterns are observed [3] as shown in **Figure 2**. Cerumen, the mixture of wax that workers produce, plus resins collected from various plants by workers is the basic material used for nest construction [3]. The outermost part and cover of the interior of the nest are made from bitumen: solid cerumen mixed with propolis. Stingless bees use bitumen to line the cavity and to protect the nest from environment variation. The bitumen also helps to limit the volume of the nesting cavity. It can be removed to permit growth during a blooming period and decrease during a dearth period [4]. Inside the nest of many species, the brood area is separated from the food storage area by using a thin cerumen layer called involucrum [3]. This nest component helps to control the temperature in the brood area. The brood area contains the cells with individual developing larvae. Unlike honey bees, the brood cells of stingless bees are constructed in vertical form and are used only once [3, 4]. The brood cells of stingless bees are connected to each other by small cerumen threads forming brood clusters (**Figure 7A**). In some species, the cells may also be attached wall to wall forming a horizontal comb (**Figure 7B**).

#### **Figure 7.**

*Two basic type of brood cell arrangement in Southeast Asian stingless bees. (A) Brood cell clusters found in*  Tetragonula pagdeni *and (B) cell arrangement as a horizontal comb in* Tetragonula laeviceps*.*

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**Figure 8.**

*Southeast Asian Meliponiculture for Sustainable Livelihood*

**3. Transferring a wild colony to an artificial hive box**

clusters, such as *Tetragonula pagdeni* and *Tetragonula fuscobalteata*.

*Step of transferring the natural colony of stingless bee to artificial wood box.*

Like honey bees of the genus *Apis*, stingless bees collect nectar and pollen and store it as food for the colony for long periods. For storing food, stingless bee workers build special cerumen containers called pots where honey and pollen are stored [3]. Honey and pollen are kept separately, so there are honey and pollen pots [4]. The size and shape of honey and pollen pots are similar in most stingless bees. Usually, both types of food pots are ovoid in shape, but this may also vary across species [3, 4].

There are several methods for transferring stingless bee colonies from their natural habitat to artificial hive boxes. This is one of the most important features of meliponiculture. In Southeast Asia, there are several models and sizes of commercial hive boxes available for stingless bees. However, two basic models of boxes, vertical and horizontal, are used depending on the species' arrangement of brood and food pots. For vertical boxes, the brood cluster is usually placed in the bottom section of the boxes, with honey and pollen pots built on the top of the hive. For instance, a vertical commercial hive box has successfully kept a nest of *Geniotrigona thoracica*. This type of hive box is easy to manage and harvest the honey. Horizontal boxes are the more popular for the small stingless bee species. The horizontal model is normally used for species that build the honey and pollen pots next to the brood

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.90344*

*Southeast Asian Meliponiculture for Sustainable Livelihood DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.90344*

Like honey bees of the genus *Apis*, stingless bees collect nectar and pollen and store it as food for the colony for long periods. For storing food, stingless bee workers build special cerumen containers called pots where honey and pollen are stored [3]. Honey and pollen are kept separately, so there are honey and pollen pots [4]. The size and shape of honey and pollen pots are similar in most stingless bees. Usually, both types of food pots are ovoid in shape, but this may also vary across species [3, 4].
