ECOLOGIA DE MELÍPONAS COMO FERRAMENTA DE EDUCAÇÃO AMBIENTAL

Abstract

Meliponas comprise a group of native bees that do not have stingers and are of great ecological importance due to their pollinating activity, however many people are afraid of these insects, which causes their death and is causing their extinction. The project developed aimed to raise awareness among children through a social action carried out at Colégio Monsenhor Alexandre, located in the municipality of Mauá-SP, about the importance of Meliponian bees (Meliponinae, Apidae, Hymenoptera) in preserving the plant diversity of environments, the its commercial potential and aid in environmental education. A presentation was made on the species with emphasis on ecology, distribution, main characteristics and conservation, a workshop illustrating the main Melipona species used in meliponiculture, as well as a biological inventory with specimens of species and a questionnaire to evaluate the initial knowledge base of the species. children and what they learned at the end of the workshop. The study covered the age range from 12 to 15 years old, with the 6th, 7th and 9th year classes of Elementary II. The workshop took place in 7 rooms, with approximately 30 students each. In addition to the lecture, a debate was held with the 9th grade classrooms, in which the class was divided between defense and opposition to the use of pesticides, relating this to the importance of bees for pollination and how these pesticides influence a decline in populations. of these individuals. We found that there is a lack of knowledge among students about native bees, but it is not a total lack of knowledge. Even though the topic is not normally covered in schools, there is a great interest in insects such as the group sampled, with a greater fear of bees due to their sting, even with this there is an understanding of their ecological and commercial, most likely because they are aware of its importance in pollination. Furthermore, they show great interest and admiration for stingless bees, as they end up losing their fear and being able to get closer to individuals. The project carried out demonstrated that meliponas can be a great instrument for environmental education and understanding the problem of the lack of bees in ecosystems, and can help explain the use of pesticides, global warming, large-scale agriculture and deforestation. , motivating people to enrich their understanding of the environmental preservation of our native fauna and pollinating individuals.