REACTION OF Melipona rufiventris LEPELETIER TO CITRAL AND AGAINST AN ATTACK BY THE

Cleptobiotic (robber) bees have their own nests but steal food from nests of other species, instead of collecting it from flowers (Michener, 1974). One genus of cleptobiotic Meliponina, Lestrimelitta Friese, occurs in the neotropical region (Michener, 2000) and is represented in Brazil by at least four species (Camargo & Moure, 1990). Raids by Lestrimelitta limao against nests of other bees were described in detail by Sakagami & Laroca (1963) and Sakagami et al. (1993). Workers of this species plunder pollen and honey provisions and other material such as resins and cerumen from colonies of other meliponine bees and even of Apis mellifera (Michener, 1974). The attacks by these robber bees weaken and even eliminate colonies