Tradition in Central America Certain indigenous species are
still domesticated in all Central American countries, and
Mexico. The large honey storage pots within the nest are
arranged in compact clusters: during harvest these stores are
removed and the honey is squeezed out. Since honey pots are
mixed with pollen pots there is generally a considerable amount
of stored pollen lost during this operation. When honey is
collected from natural colonies in the forest it usually leads
to the destruction of the nests. But 'meliponiculture' is also
inefficient and there is little technology. Colonies are housed
in old logs and sometimes in cardboard boxes. Due to the
inaccessibility of the nest cavity in tree trunks, which only
have narrow openings at each end, part of the brood may be
destroyed when the honey is taken out. This makes colonies
suffer badly from the harvest. Only after a long recovery do the
bees again start to produce excess food. The honeybee Apis
mellifera did not occur originally in the Americas bu