Use of Plant Resins and Social Immunity in Honey Bees and Stingless Bees

Honey bees (Apini) and stingless bees (Meliponini) use plant resins for a variety of purposes within their nest spaces. Resin use is particularly well studied in Apis mellifera, which surrounds its nest with a continuous layer of resin-rich propolis. The resulting propolis envelope serves to waterproof the hive interior and supports honey bee social immunity by stabilizing immune system function and mitigating pathogen threats. A. florea and A. dorsata are also known to collect resin in small amounts, but resin use by these and other Apis species is less well studied. Resin use by stingless bees is comparatively extensive, but it is rarely the specific subject of investigation. Stingless bees use resin to build brood comb, honey pots, pollen pots, and a number of other nest structures and to defend their nests from predators. Although resin use is integral to stingless bee colony function, it is unclear whether resin also serves to support social immunity in stingless bees. In this chapter, we review the ways in which resin contributes to nest structure, defense, and social immunity in Apini and Meliponini, and we discuss connections between bee health, agricultural systems, and social immunity research.