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''Melipona'' is a genus of stingless bees, widespread in warm areas of the Neotropics, from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (México) to Tucumán and Misiones (Argentina). At least 40 species are known. The largest producer of honey from Melipona bees in Mexico is in the state of Yucatán where bees are studied at an interactive park called "Bee Planet" which is within the Cuxtal Ecological Reserve. Several species are kept for honey production, such as in Brazil, where some are well-known enough to have common names. ''Melipona'' honey has long been used by humans and now is of minor commercial importance. Research is going on in improved beekeeping techniques. In addition, Mexican ''Melipona'' species are known to be good pollinators of the vanilla orchid (''Vanilla planifolia''), increasing the harvest of this valuable crop. Due to their small size and lack of stings, they can also be used as pollinators in greenhouse culture of pepperfruits (''Capsicum'' spp.). Irapuá (''M. ruficrus''), though, has a reputation of being somewhat of a pest in citrus plantations. The medical plant hog plum (''Spondias mombin'') is also occasionally pollinated by ''Melipona''. Important predators of ''Melipona'' include woodpeckers, such as the white woodpecker (''Melanerpes candidus''). ==Selected taxa== * ''Melipona beecheii'' Bennett * '' Melipona bicolor'' (Lepeletier, 1836) –'' guarupu, guaraipo * ''Melipona compressipes'' – ''tiúba * * ''Melipona compressipes manaosensis'' – ''jupará * ''Melipona fasciata'' Latreille, 2008 * ''Melipona fuscipes Friese, 1900'' (Latreille, 1811) * ''Melipona fuliginosa'' (Latreille, 1811) – ''manduri-preto * ''Melipona interrupta'' – ''jandaíra * ''Melipona marginata'' Lepeletier, 1836 – ''manduri, manduri menor, mandurim, minduri, gurupu-do-miúdo, taipeira * ''Melipona mimetica'' * ''Melipona quadrifasciata'' (Lepeletier) – ''mandaçaia, amanaçaia, manaçaia, "uruçu" * * ''M. q. anthidioides'' * ''Melipona quinquefasciata'' (Lepeletier) – ''mandaçaia-da-terra, mandaçaia-do-chão, uruçu-do-chão * ''Melipona ruficrus'' – ''irapuá * ''Melipona rufiventris'' (Lepeletier) – ''uruçu-amarela, tuiuva, tujuba, bugia * * ''M. r. paraensis'' – ''uruçu-boca-de-ralo * ''Melipona scutellaris'' Latreille, 1811 – ''uruçu-nordestina, "uruçu" * ''Melipona seminigra'' * * ''M. s. merrillae'' – ''boca-de-renda * ''Melipona subnitida'' – ''jandaíra 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Melipona」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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