Are there “wrong” bees? Oh yes! They are the vulture bees, challenging our traditional notions of bees flying from flower to flower. Their uniqueness lies in their rejection of the usual nectar and pollen in favor of animal proteins, making them one of the most unusual pollinators in the world.
Evolutionary deviations and predatory habits
Vulture bees belong to the genus Trigona, which is part of a large group of stingless bees. All members of this group, which includes hundreds of species, differ from honey bees in that their sting is vestigial and is not used for defense or attack. This is not a “rejection of tradition”, but an evolutionary adaptation that occurred millions of years ago, when a functional sting was no longer effective or necessary for their ancestors. Instead of stinging, these bees use other defense mechanisms, such as biting with strong jaws, secreting sticky secretions that can irritate the skin or eyes, or simply attacking with a large number of “fighters” that entangle the enemy.
Food competition and aggression
The jaws of vulture bees have become larger and stronger, allowing them not only to scavenge but also to compete successfully for resources. Trigones engage in food-snatching on a regular basis, sometimes escalating into large-scale battles between hives. This is a characteristic of many species of ruthless bees, which actively defend their territories and food sources, including sweet plant secretions (extrafloral nectar) or even the nests of other insects.
In such fights, not only physical aggression is often used, but also chemical warfare: bees emit alarm pheromones that can confuse the enemy or attract more “soldiers” to the fight. These pheromones often have a repulsive odor to humans.
Unique diet
Most species of stingless bees pollinate ordinary flowers, and only occasionally supplement their diet with carrion or rot. However, three species of South American stingless bees—Trigona necrophaga, Trigona hypogaea, and Trigona crassipoa—have gone much further. They have completely switched to second-hand meat as their main source of calories, becoming true scavengers. This radical dietary shift is an evolutionary response to the scarcity of floral resources in certain tropical ecosystems and the abundance of dead animals.
This evolutionary change required not only morphological adaptations (jaws), but also physiological ones—their digestive system developed a unique microbiome capable of efficiently breaking down and detoxifying decomposing flesh. This microbiome plays a key role in nutrient absorption and protection against pathogens contained in carrion.
Digestion mechanism and danger
The mouthparts of bees are not adapted to swallow large pieces. Therefore, these bees use a unique method of external digestion: they regurgitate gastric juice (which contains powerful proteolytic enzymes) onto the surface of the meat. These enzymes break down the protein fibers into a liquid “slurry”, which the bees then suck up. To speed up the process, they choose vulnerable areas such as eyes, wounds or physiological openings.
Loss of pollen collection function and “meaty” honey
As a result of the transition to a meat diet, these bees have lost the need to collect pollen. Their pollen baskets (corbicula) on their hind legs, which in ordinary bees serve to transport pollen, in vulture bees have adapted to transport fragments of meat or “meat gruel”. Instead of perga (a mixture of pollen, nectar and bee secretions) to feed their larvae, they use “corpse extract” – processed flesh.
Yes, they store honey. But not from flower nectar. Its composition is significantly different from the honey we are used to, since the source of sugars for its production can be not only plant juices (which they sometimes collect), but also sweet liquids secreted from carrion, or even fungal secretions.
The process of “producing” honey in these bees, like all others, occurs through regurgitation and fermentation in the honey stomach (goiter) – a specialized organ separate from the digestive tract. And while the source of the sugars may be unusual, the process of collection, processing and storage itself remains “bee-like.”
The main reason why we wouldn't risk trying it is the potential presence of pathogenic microorganisms, the unique taste and smell that may be unpleasant to humans, and the unknown chemical composition that could be dangerous.
Nest architecture
Such a unique lifestyle has also influenced their architectural preferences. The nests of these bees, like many other ruthless bees, have an unusual appearance. Instead of regular hexagonal honeycombs, they build shapeless clusters of round brood cells surrounded by a protective shell (involucre) made of a mixture of wax, resin and other materials.
The nest materials used by these bees can also vary, including the use of soil, resins, and sometimes particles of decomposed organic matter, which can affect the structure and odor of the nest. These architectural adaptations are key to maintaining a stable microclimate and protecting the colony in tropical rainforest environments.
If you ever come across a nest of stingless bees, do not disturb it. These bees, despite lacking stingers, can be quite aggressive in defending their home, biting and releasing irritating substances.
Ecological role and conclusion
Ecologists emphasize that these bees play an extremely important role in the ecosystem. As scavengers, they help speed up the decomposition process of dead animals, preventing the accumulation of rotting flesh. This, in turn, reduces the spread of diseases and unpleasant odors, which could be a source of infections and ecological imbalance. They are part of a complex network of detritophages that clean the environment, recycling organic residues and returning nutrients to the soil.
Their role parallels that of vultures among birds or certain species of beetles and flies among insects. This example shows that nature effectively fills each ecological niche, even if it requires radical changes in traditional ideas about a particular species. Thus, “wild food preferences” are simply a successful evolutionary strategy.
This example reminds us that we should not judge living organisms from the standpoint of human morality or aesthetics. Each species, even those that seem “disgusting” or “wrong”, has its own unique function in the ecosystem, contributing to its stability and biodiversity. The preservation of such unique species is key to the health of the entire planet.
