Entomotourism and the stingless bees of Mexico

The practice of raising stingless bees in artificial nests for honey, wax, and resin - a process known as meliponicultura - was well developed at the time of the Spanish colonization of the Americas. Although much diminished in the twentieth century, the practice of meliponicultura has witnessed a revival in the twenty-first century and continues to be practiced in various Mayan and Nahuatl communities throughout the Yucatan Peninsula and the state of Puebla, as well as other rural regions of Mexico. In this study, 12 meliponario were visited between the period of 19 and 25 February 2018. The author met with researchers, artisans, local cooperatives, meliponists, and representatives from the Melipona Maya Foundation, throughout the Yucatan, to discuss issues of meliponicultura, sustainability, and tourism. This article presents key findings from this emergent form of entomotourism and outlines the potential futures of meli-tourism.