Brazilian Bee: Iraí

Iraí (Nannotrigona testaceicornis) colonies contain between 2,000 and 3,000 members. They build their nests in the most varied places, such as stone walls, cement blocks, hollow bricks and, preferably, in tree hollows. They close the entrance to their colony at nightfall and open it at dawn. This entrance is built with cerumen and consists of a short brown and sometimes dark tube, in which we always find several guardian bees around the tube.