Among the many creatures working quietly at Saifana Organic Farm, none are more mysterious, or more respected, than our Trigona bees. They’re small, stingless, and unassuming at first glance, but these bees hold a timeless legacy in their wings. Every time I watch them drift around the basil, poke their heads into rosella flowers, or vanish into their nest chambers, I’m reminded we’re caring for beings that have been around for over 70 million years.

These bees aren’t just part of our ecosystem, they’re ancestors of it. And like many ancient things, they ask us to slow down, observe, and learn.

An Ancient Bee in a Changing World

The Trigona genus belongs to the tribe Meliponini, or stingless bees. These bees likely diverged from their relatives long before honeybees came into the picture. Fossil records suggest they originated on Gondwana, the prehistoric supercontinent that once connected what we now call Africa, South America, and parts of Southeast Asia. Today, stingless bees are scattered throughout the tropics, where they thrive in forests, mangroves, gardens, and agroforestry systems. They build complex social structures in hollow logs, tree trunks, and even inside our handmade wooden hives. Their role as pollinators, honey-makers, and knowledge keepers continues, quietly, efficiently, and without fuss.

Tiny Architects of Wisdom

Unlike the European honeybee, Trigona bees don’t use pure wax. Instead, they create with a material called cerumen, a blend of wax and plant resins. Their nests are divided into:

• Brood chambers built in horizontal combs

• Separate pollen and honey pots made from cerumen

• A wax envelope (involucrum) that helps insulate and protect the developing young

• Sometimes, a scutellum, a layer of fermented organic waste that adds warmth like a natural radiator

They’ve evolved passive temperature regulation, a strategy rooted in design and biology rather than high energy use. Their ability to adapt to warm, humid environments is exactly what makes them such perfect partners for tropical agroecology.

An Ancient Bee in a Changing WorldTrigona Honey: Tangy, Rare, and Revered

Unlike the mass-produced honey from commercial hives, Trigona honey is a slow process. Each colony may only produce 100–500 mL per year, a few spoonfuls of liquid gold. But what it lacks in quantity, it makes up for in depth.

• The flavor is sour-sweet, almost vinegary or floral-balsamic

• It contains natural enzymes, antioxidants, and antimicrobial compounds

• Indigenous communities across the tropics have long used it as medicine, for infections, inflammation, and healing wounds

We harvest it gently, if at all, prioritizing the bees’ needs over ours. We use it in our education programs, natural remedies, and taste tests for farm visitors who want to learn more.

Their Role at Saifana

At Saifana, Trigona bees have become part of our bigger vision. They represent everything we care about:

• Pollination of our vegetables, herbs, and fruit trees

• Biodiversity conservation

• Educational interaction, especially for kids and first-time farm guests

• Sustainable farming with deep cultural roots

We house their colonies in shaded wooden logs and old coconut husks. During trainings or tours, we open their hives slowly, no smoke needed, no suits required. Just curiosity and respect.

Final Thoughts

Trigona bees remind me that not all heroes roar. Some hum gently between flowers. They don’t sting, they don’t rush, and they don’t dominate the ecosystem. But they hold it together. Through pollination. Through tradition. Through patience. Keeping them isn’t just beekeeping. It’s a form of cultural regeneration, a way to honor traditional ecological knowledge, and a chance to teach others about coexistence. If you ever get the chance to sit beside a Trigona hive, do it. Watch. Listen. Feel how old and wise they are.

References & Further Reading

• Quezada-Euán, J. J. G. (2018). Stingless Bees of Mexico: The Biology, Management and Conservation of an Ancient Heritage. Springer Nature.
  An essential resource on the biology, social behavior, genetics, and cultural value of Meliponini (stingless bees), including Trigona species.

• Saifana Organic Farm Field Notes (2022–2025).
  Observational insights and applied agroecological practices involving stingless bees on our farm in Lombok, Indonesia.

• Video Documentation – “Trigona bees on a quiet morning at Saifana” (2025).
  A short visual clip of Trigona bees interacting with their hive, filmed during a morning at the farm.

• Camargo, J.M.F. & Pedro, S.R.M. (2007). Meliponini. In Catalogue of Bees in the Neotropical Region. Brazilian Society of Entomology.

• Indigenous ecological knowledge shared during field dialogues with beekeepers and elders in Lombok (2025).