Implantação da meliponicultura e etnobiologia de abelhas sem ferrão (melipona) em comunidades indígenas no estado do amazonas: estudos de caso dos meliponários indígenas: ticuna, comunidade guanabara iii, município de benjamin constant am; mura, comunidade murutinga, município de autazes am e cokama: comunidade nova aliança, município de benjamin constant am

Abstract

The beekeeping of stingless bees is increasing in Amazonas State in the last five years. This project, works with science, teaching and extension for the development of the meliponiculture in indigenous communities. The main objective was to implant the meliponiculture and verify its implications in three indigenous communities in the legal Amazon (Cocama, Ticuna and Mura indian races), as well as to collect data concerning general biology and etno-knowledge in order to increase the information about stingless bees in the geographic areas of the project. Stingless bees colonies present in the meliponaries were transferred to rational boxes (FO-INPA model) and multiplied by the Minimum Disturbance method. The progress of the beekeeping in the meliponaries was compared among the communities. For this comparation different topics were used. Data concerning four years of project demonstrated that the indigenous beekeepers learned the techniques and are able to execute this activity by themselves. The project had 5, 5 and 8 bee colonies at the beginning and nowadays the numbers are 64, 32 and 53 bee colonies multiplied in Cocama, Ticuna and Mura meliponaries, respectively. The predation of natural nests by the indians to collect honey have been decreasing as a result of the environmental education classes. The methodologies of collecting honey have been important to keep the quality and the aseptic of the final product. Projects like this can contribute to the preservation of some species of stingless bees in indigenous areas. Therefore this type of project can produce information for future projects of conservation and sustainable development as well as increase the quality of life and by giving an alternative source of money for traditional Indian and river populations.