Indian Stingless Bee(Tetragonula iridipennis)
The Indian stingless bee or dammar bee, Tetragonula iridipennis, was originally discovered on the island of Sri Lanka, it is predominantly found in India.
Like males in other stingless bee species, there is tremendous competition between T. iridipennis males to copulate with virgin queens. Males have been observed to form large aggregations and to engage in mass flights near nests waiting for the emergence of virgin females.Once a virgin queen emerges, it pairs with one of the males and a mating flight ensues, resulting in the fertilization of the queen.
Common nesting sites include tree trunks, logs and wall cavities. The nests are relatively low to the ground and tend to be dark brown in color in order to blend in with their surroundings.
T. iridipennis defends against predators by preventing access to its nest. It seals pores of the hive with a substance created by mixing its own salivary gland secretions with plant-derived resins. This substance called propolis (Propolis exhibits notable antibacterial and antiviral properties and has a wide variety of pharmaceutical uses) also has favorable mechanical properties and is used by T. iridipennis to protect its nest from wind and rain.
The honey of T. iridipennis is a rich source of antioxidant flavanoids. This is because workers collect honey from medicinally important herbal plants and flowers.