The Melipona beecheii is a species of bee native to Mesoamerica, especially the Yucatán Peninsula (Mexico), Belize, Guatemala, and parts of Central America.
It belongs to the group of stingless bees (tribe Meliponini) and is one of the most ecologically and culturally important species in the region.

• They are social bees that live in organized colonies.
• They build their nests in hollow logs known as jobones or panuchos.
• They produce a very aromatic, acidic, and medicinal honey.
• They have no stinger, but they bite to defend themselves.

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🏺 In Pre-Hispanic Maya Culture

Melipona beecheii was sacred to the ancient Maya.

• Its honey was considered a gift from the gods, especially from the god Ah-Muzen-Cab, the deity of bees and honey.
• The Maya were the first documented meliponiculturists (stingless-bee keepers) in the Americas.
• They raised these bees in hollow logs sealed with plugs of clay and wax.
• The honey (cab) and wax were used for:
  • Traditional medicine (to treat eye problems, wounds, and infections).
  • Food and beverages (for example, balché, a fermented ritual drink).
  • Religious rites and offerings to the gods.

Meliponiculture was so well-developed that it became a key economic activity: honey and wax were traded and used as tribute in Maya kingdoms.