Bug FAQHeller's Stingless Bee
Partamona helleri · Order: Hymenoptera · Family: Apidae
Source: Wikipedia
Partamona helleri often enters its nest by crash-landing, a distinctive behavior. It builds elaborate nest entrances and nests in protected spots like under epiphytic roots, wall holes, eaves, house ridges, air-conditioning units, abandoned bird nests, tree branches, and even active termite mounds. The bee is aggressive; when threatened it coils around hair or fur and bites the skin with its mandibles.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
When entering its nest, this bee performs a crash-landing maneuver. Its nest entrances are elaborate and differ among Partamona species.
Source: Wikipedia
Is it a pest in the house?
When threatened, it aggressively coils around hair or fur and bites the skin with its mandibles.
Source: Wikipedia
Does it bite or sting?
It can bite people, nibbling the skin with its mandibles.
Source: Wikipedia
More photos
Questions people ask
Do they bite people?
Yes, they can bite, nibbling the skin with their mandibles when they feel threatened.
Source: Wikipedia
Where do these bees build their nests?
They nest in protected spots such as under epiphytic roots, wall holes, eaves, house ridges, under air-conditioning units, abandoned bird nests, on tree branches, and in active termite mounds.
Source: Wikipedia
What is the distinctive entry behavior of this bee?
It enters its nest by a crash-landing maneuver.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Apidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Partamona_helleri
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.