Summary
This is a first behavioural description of a large non-nest associated drone congregation of the stingless beeMelipona favosa. The about 400 drones had originated from different nests. The males interacted aggressively. Several gynes arrived at the drone congregation area (DCA). Olfactory stimuli triggered specific behaviours of the males as well as of the gynes but matings were not observed at the DCA.
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Sommeijer, M.J., de Bruijn, L.L.M. Drone congregations apart from the nest inMelipona favosa . Ins. Soc 42, 123–127 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01242448
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01242448