No ciclo de vida dos machos de Meliponini, depois que deixam os ninhos, eles podem se agrupar
formando aglomerados com dezenas a centenas de indivÃduos. Nestes locais, onde vários machos retornam durante dias
consecutivos, eles desidratam néctar. Análises deste néctar transportado indicam que a concentração apresenta correlação
positiva com a temperatura, e que o volume e a porcentagem de açúcares são sempre menores do que os das operárias das
quatro espécies de Melipona estudadas. Outras fontes de origem deste néctar, além do ninho de origem dos machos são
desconhecidas.
At some point during their life, Meliponini males leave their nests and form congregations which
can be made up of dozens up to several hundreds of individuals. There, males, which individually may frequent the same
agglomeration for subsequent days, are seen to dehydrate nectar. Analysis in four species of Melipona show that the sugar
concentration of the nectars from congregated males is positively correlated with ambient temperature, and that the volume
and percentage of sugars is always lower than nectars sampled from returning foragers. Except for what they can carry off
from their home colony, other sources from which congregated males may obtain their nectar are still unknown.
