Sociodemographic characteristics and participation of women in meliponiculture from the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico.

Background: Meliponiculture is the breeding of stingless bees (SB) or bees of the Meliponini tribe. In Mexico, this activity was practiced before the arrival of the Spaniards, with the Yucatan Peninsula (YP) (comprising the states of Campeche, Quintana Roo and Yucatan) being the most important region due to its link with the economic, cultural and medicinal aspects of the Mayan communities. The objective of this study was to compare the sociodemographic characteristics and the participation of women in meliponiculture practiced in the YP.

A review of the melliferous flora of Yucatan peninsula, Mexico, on the basis for the honey production cycle.

Background: The Yucatan Peninsula (YP) is one of the most important regions in global apiculture. Hence, this work reviews and integrates the knowledge of the species diversity, growth habits, ecosystems, floral calendars during the apiculture production cycles and the types of vegetation represented in the melliferous flora (MF) of the YP; as a basis for proposing selection strategies locating suitable apiculture production areas for local beekeepers and help in the economic development of the region.

Methods: A comprehensive review of the MF literature was carried out using the snowball method to determine and update the number of species useful for apiculture.

Perceptions of the local beekeepers on the diversity and flowering phenology of the melliferous flora in the community of Xmabén, Hopelchén, Campeche, Mexico.

Background: The knowledge of native melliferous flora (MF) may contribute to identify the diversity of species available for beekeeping activities during the dry and rainy seasons of the year in the Yucatan Peninsula (YP) region. The acute shortage of food resources considerably reduce local honey production and needs to be addressed appropriately. The objective of this study has been identifying the local MF, their nectar and pollen contribution, their flowering patterns, and the criteria of the vegetation to be established adjacent to local apiaries for stable production of quality honey.