Recognition
Workers described in a recent species study are shiny black, with dark hairs and fine surface punctures. They measured roughly seven millimetres, but size varies among samples. Identification also examines the head, mandibles, wings and hind legs. A black bee entering a resin tube can belong to several species; the entrance is valuable evidence when combined with the bee itself.
Sources & references · 1
HAYATI Journal of Biosciences · Tetrigona apicalis morphology and tree-cavity nest in Ujung Kulon (2026)Habitat and Borneo range
A primary survey identified Tetrigona apicalis among the stingless bees of Belaban Resort, Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Park in West Kalimantan. The study compared nest entrances of several species. A separate Java study documented a colony in a tree cavity, giving additional evidence about nesting structure without moving that Java locality to Borneo.
Sources & references · 2
Jurnal Entomologi Indonesia · Nest entrance characters of stingless bees at Belaban, West Borneo (2023)HAYATI Journal of Biosciences · Tetrigona apicalis morphology and tree-cavity nest in Ujung Kulon (2026)Food and ecological role
Workers collect nectar and pollen for food, as documented in a foraging study at Padang. They also collect resin, which serves different purposes from nectar. Bornean research included this species in networks linking bees to resin-producing trees. Resin becomes nest-building material and contributes chemical compounds to nests and bee surfaces, connecting colony life with the chemistry of the surrounding forest.
