Anyone raise Stingless Bees in USA?

[snl]

And the honey bee is neither an species native of North America after all.

I thought that also, but they've recently found honey bees in amber in North America......

[KQ6AR]

The fossils/amber where discovered just a couple years ago.

[cg3]

I recently got to visit both Trigona and Melipona colonies near Tulum, Mexico. Anyone on a Yucatan/Cancun trip is welcome to get a tour at the Don Diego De la Selva Hotel in Tulum. They run an organization that is helping to restore stingless beekeeping among the Mayans there.
The view inside the hive was like seeing bees from Mars.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/j8napt0r2v...20interior.JPG
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Melip...27678103972077

[chcros]

was anyone able to find the stingless bees in Texas? i know this is an old thread and i was wondering if anyone has found these type of bees.
I am in the Houston TX area, and i am also interested in these bees.
thanks

[ehallspqr]

Have not seen or heard of people keeping these Stingless bees in southern USA. Theoretically they can survive and range into very South USA regions. Certain species are officially reported as far North as mid Baja and well north of Mexico City. That would put them in the same latitude as Brownsville and other south Texas locations. Being that they cannot be legally imported I wouldn’ Imagine anyone that has a hive to admit on the internet that they have them in their possession for fear that it would be confiscated etc. I might take a trek out into the woods to find a colony if they do indeed exist. I did personally see colonies thriving in Brownsville back in the 60’s so I know they can survive. These are very interesting little bees to keep but I doubt that you’d get much honey out of them. Good luck with your search.