These tiny honey bees are called Stingless bees. So called because unlike their other bigger honey bee counterparts, they do not have stings. However, they do have a mean bite (but tolerable) and are very hyper!
Stingless bees’ brood with adult stingless bees tending their larvae (white).
Her Majesty, the Queen Bee, regally walking on my hand. 🙂
Stingless bees are really tiny compared to other honey bees.
This week’s photo challenge involves taking photos demonstrating the concept of focus. Mine, as you can see from the three photos above, have bees in focus against a blurred background. 🙂
I will actually post a separate entry about bees and my experience taking samples for my Thesis. It’s because I still have a lot of photos from that trip and I want to share it to all of you as part of the awareness on the importance of bees and why we should protect them (because there’s a sudden drop in their numbers! 😦 ). I hope you guys read that, too.
For now, I hope you enjoy these photos as much as I’ll enjoy your entries for this week’s photo challenge! 😀
PS. Please don’t mind my dirty hands, lol. Getting my hands dirty is part of the thesis sampling experience. 😀
The Rambling Philosopher 
Very, very cool! I learned something new. I never even knew these bees existed. Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome! I’m actually glad that I’m able to impart or raise awareness on the existence of these bees. 🙂 Thanks for dropping by! 🙂
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Wow – I’ve never heard of stingless bees. They’re so tiny!
Yes! They really are. They look like huge ants with wings! 😀
I’m looking forward to your future post regarding your work with them so that I can learn more. I’m very concerned about the decline in bee populations – very tragic.
It is tragic. It’s a good thing that countries around the world are already starting to make precautions and policies to protect them. 🙂 They should too because bees are responsible for one third of our food supply.
I am glad that you’ve chosen bees (as respondents? lol) as the subject of your thesis. Is this a masteral thesis? I can’t wait to read about what you will have to share with us. I like bees.
This is an undergrad thesis. It’s under a research project of the government that focuses on bee products that’s why my thesis is centered on them, specifically on propolis, that’s made by bees to protect/build their hives. 🙂 I will talk more about this on my future post. Hopefully soon. 🙂
Actually, I didn’t like bees before but because of this, I learned to appreciate them. I’m glad you like bees too! 🙂
Please share this with us. And I shall expect to know from you how we can protect and even encourage the production of bees. We know how they are so useful to man and plants. I think they are one of those endangered species now?
I wish you success in your thesis writing. Good luck.
Yes, I will. Though it’s not going to be any time soon yet. Some species of bees are endangered while some are still being cultivated. However, there was a drastic collapse in their numbers in the past decade which was really alarming. 😦
Thank you! I have less than 2 months to do my thesis so, woo! I hope everything goes well from now on. 🙂
do you need to put on some kind of protection when you’re dealing with these bees?
Yes. Beekeepers wear a hat with a veil covering the whole head to protect their face from being stung or the bees from entering their nose or ears.. For the body, as long as you cover yourself up to prevent the bees from stinging you and roaming inside your clothes will do like long sleeves, pants, closed shoes etc. Though for some beekeepers, they really have a sort of beekeeper attire. 🙂
darn, i guess i can’t wear shorts then. some bees may become too adventurous for my sanity.
You can. just be prepared to face the consequences. 😀 😛
Wow! Isn’t it a bit dangerous? 😉
At first, I was really scared of going anywhere near a beehive! They can really be annoying, :D. But we wear protective clothing to prevent them from stinging us, or in the case of stingless bees, from going inside our clothes etc. It’s not really as dangerous as most people think, unless you are allergic to bee venom then that could be a bit of a problem But if not, you’re safe. As long as they don’t sting the important/sensitive body parts. 😛
Oh! What about your hand without any protection? They look so tiny and babies, but anyway I think bees are always ready to sting you! haha 😀
I can tolerate them biting my hands since it’s really not as painful as with other bees that have stings. Haha! Yes, stingless bees are reallyyyy tiny, unlike the other species of bees. Actually, me too. If I sense that the bees are in an aggressive mode, I’m not going anywhere near them without some sort of protection. Haha
Hahaha for sure! 😀
Wow. I’ve never seen anything like that.
Amazing photo of Queen Bees :).
Thank you! 🙂
Oh wow! I didn’t know that. That’s really cool. Have a great week ahead.
Hello, what’s name of this kind of stingless bee?
Thank you