A novel symbiotic association between a soft scale and a stingless bee of the genus Schwarzula (Apidae: Meliponini) was recently reported from Rio Negro, Brazil. In this symbiotic association, scale insects receive structural protection from natural enemies by being harboured inside the arboreal bee nest. The soft scales produce honeydew which is used as a food source by the bees, and the waxy material that covers the soft scale is constantly harvested and stored in special cells to be used to construct various parts of the bee nest. Another species also collected in association with stingless bees in Bolivia is also reported. The soft scales were identified as two undescribed species belonging to the genus Cryptostigma in the subfamily Myzolecaniinae. The adult female and first instar nymphs of each bee-associated soft scale is compared with its corresponding ant- associated sister species: C. urichi Cockerell new comb. and C. saundersi Laing respectively. No major morphological differences between bee-associated and ant-associated soft scales were observed. However, those species that are associated with bees tend to have a thicker waxy covering which may be explained as an adaptation to provide bees with constructing wax material. The ant-associated scales probably never evolved a thicker waxy covering since the ants only feed on the honeydew and do not harvest their waxy covering.
Species 1: Homoptera Coccidae Cryptostigma
Keywords: Coccoidea, Stingless bees
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