Brazilian Stingless Bee vs Sweat Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Brazilian Stingless Bee Sweat Bee
Scientific Name Melipona quadrifasciata Halictus ligatus
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Apidae Halictidae
Size 10-12 mm 7-11 mm
Habitat Forests Farmland
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Brazil (Atlantic Forest region) North America
Conservation Near Threatened Least Concern

Brazilian Stingless Bee

A robust stingless bee with a dark body and four pale abdominal bands. It is the most culturally important stingless bee species in Brazilian meliponiculture.

💡

Did You Know?

Queens are determined by genetics rather than diet, unlike honeybees where any larva can become a queen with royal jelly.

Sweat Bee

A small, dark metallic bee that is attracted to human perspiration for its salt content. It exhibits variable social behavior ranging from solitary to primitively eusocial nesting.

💡

Did You Know?

Sweat bees are among the most important wild pollinators of crops, and some species can switch between solitary and social living depending on environmental conditions.