Species Diversity of Stingless Bees at Thung Salang Luang National Park, Phitsanulok ??? Phetchabun Province

Abstract

Species surveys and sample collections of stingless bees in a Thung Salang Luang National Park were carried out during January 2009 to June 2010. The techniques of line transect surveys and systematic random sampling were used for sample collections. All the specimens were recorded from their food plants and host plants. From this study, the stingless bees found 12 species: Homotrigona fimbriata (Smith, 1857), Lepidotrigona nitidiventris (Smith, 1857), Lepidotrigona terminata (Smith, 1878), Lepidotrigona ventralis (Smith, 1857), Lisotrigona cacciae (Nurse, 1907), Tetragonilla collina (Smith, 1857), Tetragonula fuscobalteata (Cameron, 1908), Tetragonula laeviceps (Smith, 1857), Tetragonula minor (Sakagami, 1978), Tetrigona apicalis (Smith, 1857), Tetrigona melanoleuca (Cockerell, 1929) and Tetrigona peninsularis (Cockerell, 1927). Ten species were found in mixed deciduous forest. The species diversity measurements showed that the studied area had high species diversity of stingless bees (J/ = 0.929) while the dominant index does not show any dominant species (C = 0.116). Similarity coefficient between mixed deciduous forest and dry evergreen forest (S = 0.778). Also, coniferous forest and dry evergreen forest (S = 0.558) had the most similar species structure of stingless bees.

Keywords: species diversity, stingless bees, Thung Salang Luang National Park