Identifikasi dan karakterisasi struktur sarang lebah Trigona (Hymenoptera: Apidae) di Bogor

Abstract

Trigona is one genus in the social insect group. This stingless bees belong to the family of Apidae and has cavity nest. Trigona build the complex structure nest in different shapes cavities. The aims of this research were to identify the species of Trigona in Bogor and to characterize the nest structure, and the storage pots and brood combs shape, colour, size and their connections. Identification of Trigona were based on characters in hind tibia and body colour. Nest observations were carried out for the nest structure, and the storage pots and brood comb size, shape, the connections, arrangement, and colour. The identified bees were T. laeviceps. Trigona laeviceps has hind tibia length less than 2 mm, body predominantly black, forewing rather uniformly transparent, mandibula with two weak teeth, scutellum large with mesoscutellum projecting backward exceeding posterior slope of propodeum. The arrangement of nest structure from entrance to inner nest was entrance tube, batumen, involucrum, storage pot, brood comb, storage pot again. Structure and components of the nest were depend on the cavities shape. Storage pots, brood combs, and their connections have diverse shape and colour. Brood combs have relatively the same length compare to the storage pots.