Peruvian scientists, Indigenous leaders and legal advocates have secured municipal, regional and national protections for stingless bees, recognizing their ecological and cultural importance. Peru hosts at least 175 of about 600 global stingless bee species, and new ordinances mark some of the first legal rights granted to insects. Research published in December 2023 found stingless bee honey is used to treat at least 14 ailments and contains hundreds of bioactive molecules. Supporters say the laws must be paired with habitat protection and Indigenous-led conservation.
Peru Grants Unprecedented Legal Protections to Amazon Stingless Bees After Research Highlights Medicinal Honey
Miryan Delgado/Amazon Research InternacionalStingless Bees and Rosa Vásquez Espinoza
Peru has taken groundbreaking steps to protect stingless bees in the Amazon, granting them formal legal recognition as advocates push to safeguard these vital pollinators and the Indigenous knowledge tied to them.
Who Is Leading the Effort
Rosa Vásquez Espinoza, founder of Amazon Research Internacional, and Constanza Prieto, Latin America director at the Earth Law Center, have spearheaded campaigns to secure legal rights and conservation measures for stingless bees. Their work — amplified by Indigenous communities and local leaders — helped prompt recent regional ordinances and national legislation to protect the species.
Why Stingless Bees Matter
Sunbird Images/imageBROKER/Shutterstockstingless bees nest
Stingless bees are critical pollinators that support the health and regeneration of Amazonian ecosystems. Globally, researchers document roughly 600 stingless bee species; Peru alone is home to at least 175 species, making it a biodiversity hotspot for these insects.
Scientific and Cultural Evidence
Research shared in December 2023 by Espinoza and colleague César Delgado documents a long history of stingless bee honey in traditional medicine, food, religion and cultural practice. The authors report that communities in the Peruvian Amazon use the honey to treat at least 14 different ailments, and chemical analyses revealed hundreds of bioactive molecules with reported anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, antioxidant and potential anti-cancer properties.
"Within the stingless bee lives Indigenous traditional knowledge, passed down since the time of our grandparents," said Apu César Ramos, president of EcoAshaninka of the Ashaninka Communal Reserve.
Legal Milestones
Alamystingless bees in the Pacaya Samiria National Park, Amazon, Peru
In recent months, ordinances protecting stingless bees were approved in two Peruvian regions, marking some of the first legal rights specifically granted to insects anywhere in the world. Satipo became the first municipality to adopt such an ordinance in October. Legal momentum continued in December 2024 when Peru's Congress approved a bill introduced by María Acuña Peralta to protect stingless bees and promote sustainable beekeeping nationwide.
Threats and Next Steps
Despite these advances, stingless bees face serious threats from deforestation, climate change and pesticide use. Advocates say the new legal recognition should be paired with on-the-ground conservation, support for Indigenous stewardship, research into sustainable beekeeping, and policies that reduce habitat loss.
Clarifying a Misnomer
Although commonly called "stingless," these bees do possess rudimentary stingers; however, they are not effective for defense and the species are not considered dangerous to people.
Researchers, Indigenous leaders and legal advocates hope Peru’s regional ordinances and national law will help ensure stingless bee populations — and the traditional knowledge they embody — endure for generations.
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