Avaliação do impacto da introdução da abelha africanizada sobre as abelhas sociais nativas na microrregião de Patos - PB no Semi-Árido Nordestino, por meio do resgate do conhecimento popular.

Abstract

Evaluation of the impact of the introduction of the africanized bee on native social bees in the micro-region of Patos - PB in the semi-arid northeast, through the rescue of popular knowledge. The introduction of adventive species is considered one of the main factors causing extinction of local species. It was undertaken na avaliation of stingless bees conservation status at the Patos´ region, Paraíba, semi-arid Northeastern Brazil, and of the perception of the causes for their disappearence by means of an ethnoentomological study. Thirty informer were selected considering the possibility that they lived at the rural zone when the africanized bees reached the region. The interviews were carried out with a semistructured questionnaire. Fifteen species of stingless bees that occured in the region were mentioned, and only eight still persist but at low frequency of quotation. The mentioned causes for its disapearence were: invasion by africanized bees, alone or together with other causes (90% of informers), trees clearing (50%) and honey hunting (10%). It was reported the use of bee products: honey, by all the informers; wax for caulking (60%) and for hand-made objects (13%); and pollen (10%). It is discussed the use of this methodology for assessing biodiversity, being stressed its importance because usually the folk knowledge is the only source of information about ecological impacts that ocurred in the past.