As abelhas são extremamente importantes para a manutenção do serviço ecossistêmico de polinização e, dentre elas, as abelhas da tribo meliponini, merecem atenção pelo ferrão atrofiado e facilidade de manejo em áreas povoadas, além de sua capacidade de produzir mel. As abelhas sem ferrão são cultivadas há séculos por populações tradicionais, e essa atividade, chamada meliponicultura, vem ganhando adeptos no estado de São Paulo nos últimos anos. Utilizando um questionário aplicado a 280 meliponicultores buscamos caracterizar a atividade de meliponicultura no estado de São Paulo, visando colaborar com a regulamentação da atividade de meliponicultura e subsidiar medidas de conservação para as abelhas sem ferrão. Nossos resultados indicam que a meliponicultura passa por um processo de popularização recente, com muitos meliponicultores iniciantes e de alto nível de escolaridade, que tem como principal motivação a conservação das espécies e que praticam atitudes sustentáveis. Os principais problemas percebidos pelos meliponicultores são a utilização de agrotóxicos e os desmatamentos. A ausência de uma legislação estadual e as restrições impostas pela resolução federal CONAMA/346 impedem o desenvolvimento da atividade em uma maior escala, com potencial para a geração de emprego e renda, aliada a conservação das abelhas sem ferrão. Mudanças na legislação vigente, a utilização de instrumentos econômicos para a conservação das abelhas sem ferrão, a adoção de espécies regionais utilizadas como espécies bandeiras, bem como o desenvolvimento de novas técnicas a partir de colaborações entre pesquisadores, empresas e meliponicultores são importantes para o desenvolvimento da meliponicultura, que se demonstra uma atividade ampla, de múltiplos domínios e promotora da sustentabilidade / Bees are extremely important for the maintenance of the ecosystem service of pollination, among them the bees of the tribe meliponini deserve attention because of the atrophied sting and the honey producing capacity. The stingless bees have been cultivated for centuries by traditional populations and this activity called meliponiculture has been gaining adepts in the Brazilian state of São Paulo in recent years. Through a survey applied to 280 meliponists we did a characterization of the meliponiculture activity in the state of São Paulo, aiming to collaborate with the meliponiculture activity regulation and to subsidize conservation policies for the stingless bees. Our results indicate that meliponiculture goes through a recent popularization process, with many beginner meliponists with a high level of schooling, they have as main motivation the conservation of the meliponid species and that they practice sustainable attitudes. The main problems perceived by meliponists are the use of agrochemicals and deforestation. The lack of state-level regulation and the restrictions imposed by the federal resolution CONAMA/ 346 hinder the development of the activity on a larger scale, with potential for employment and income generation, associated with the conservation of stingless bees. Changes in the current regulation, the use of economic instruments for the conservation of stingless bees, the adoption of regional species used as flagship species, and the development of new techniques based on collaborations between researchers, companies and meliponists are important for the development of meliponiculture that demonstrates a broad activity, multiple domains and promoter of sustainability

The dissertation on the influence of temperature and humidity of the environment on the reproduction of the honey bee (Apis mellifera) describes the effect of the observed physical quantities on the entire bee during the growing season. Three habitats were monitored under different conditions. The measuring devices were always located inside and outside one colony of each habitat. In cooperation with colleagues from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, ČVUT in Prague, the physical parameters monitoring was extended by monitoring the sound and weight of the hives - hive assemblies at the site located at the Agricultural Faculty of the University of South Bohemia. The data collection system in beehives was designed as a fully autonomous modular system. Measured data was processed and evaluated by statistical programs. The results showed that the hives observed differ in the number of bee queens found in the growing season and also in the number of frames found. Near-fetal temperatures were measured for correct development of the bee (32 °C to 36 °C). Colonies in the observed periods of 2014, 2015 and 2016 had to actively increase the relative humidity inside the hive in spring and summer. The colony reacts to changes in air temperature by varying intensity of sound. The results revealed the differences between the intensity of bee sounds in different temperature conditions. The highest sound intensity was detected at temperatures below 10 ° C (36.71 W.m-2), the lowest being at temperatures above 29.4 °C (26.25 W.m-2). The correlation coefficients were very low (r = 0.180) to medium (r = 0.463) and the correlation coefficient (r = 0.555) changed with a change in the temperature group. In order to evaluate the optimal conditions for honeybee rearing, the temperature and humidity monitoring can be used. The most suitable temperatures were in the range (29.5-34.3 °C) and temperatures above 34.4 °C. In terms of humidity, the temperature range (20-29.4 °C) and (29.5-34.3 °C) are the most appropriate. Changes in the observed values also affect the queen's bee in the colony. The data obtained from the long-term monitoring of these variables can help us to construct a THI index for bees, which would be a suitable tool to evaluate the optimal conditions for bees.

Several archaeological sites in the lower Apalachicola River Valley have evidence of beekeeping in the late nineteenth to early twentieth centuries. At least two of these are also prehistoric sites (Depot Creek, 8Gu56 and Clark Creek, 8Gu60), which are Rangia (clam) shell mounds. Both sites are deep in the river swamp, which has the largest stand of tupelo trees in the world. The valley has a long tradition of beekeeping. Apiarists (beekeepers) would bring their bees by boat to remote locations in the swamps during the short tupelo flowering season to take advantage of the extensive forest. Tupelo honey has been commercially harvested since at least the nineteenth century, and has the reputation for being one of the finest honeys world-wide. It is prized for its light golden amber color and characteristic ability never to granulate, but to remain in a liquid state. Shell mounds in the swamps offered high ground on which to build honey production centers. Such remote locations also were ideal for moonshine stills, with the beekeeping and honey production as a plausible cover operation. A significant amount of historical artifacts was [sic] recovered from both sites to merit further research. A third site, Lower Chipola Apiary (8Gu104) is a single component early-to mid- twentieth-century apiary consisting of a standing two-story honey house and scattered beekeeping equipment. Archaeological methods, historical research, and oral histories were used to document beekeeping in the Apalachicola River Valley. Exploration of beekeeping and honey production in this valley during the late nineteenth to early twentieth centuries has offered significant data on a once notable industry and way of life in northwest Florida, comparable to other agricultural industries.

“Although they make up only 11 per cent of the population above the age of criminal responsibility (in England and Wales), in 2009, people in this age group were responsible for 17 per cent of all proven offending” (NAO, 2010:5). Sadly, 56 per cent of these young people are likely to re-offend within one year (NAO, 2010). These trends are not unique; they are common to many countries worldwide (e.g. De Gusti et al, 2009). Arguably then, current government strategies that aim to reduce recidivism including custodial sentences, are not working (Clarke, 2011). However, terms such as ‘criminal offence’ and the age criteria for criminal responsibility vary widely in their definitions between and within countries. Furthermore, reasons why young people re-offend emerge from complex and multi-dimensional needs and risk factors, which themselves vary over time. Attempts at correlations and comparisons are therefore inevitably contentious. Interventions perceived as most effective at reducing recidivism focus on multi-systemic approaches to changing behaviours (e.g. DfES, 2006). This research and its findings, contributes towards a better understanding of these multi-dimensional factors. This report presents outcomes from a mixed-methods, ethnographic, comparative research project in relation to a four-day intensive outdoor experiential education programme. For the purposes of this report, the programme is called ‘Bee Inspired’ and is specifically for young people defined as ‘at risk’ of offending or re-offending. Bee Inspired is unique because it involves the participants’ immersion in learning the practical skills of beekeeping. The research was based in three countries: the Azores islands (Portuguese-governed), Prince Edward Island, Canada and England, United Kingdom. During the programme, the participants were observed closely and their behaviour, experiences and comments recorded. Additional data were collected through written questionnaires and focus group sessions during and at the completion of the programme. The outcomes are presented using a method of written ‘vignettes’. This gives voices to the participants, whose perspectives, within research data, are often absent. This report provides evidence of their positive experiences of cognitive, social and emotional development during the Bee Inspired programme; these being intrinsically linked to the programme’s objectives and the researcher’s theoretical and ontological perspectives. The findings were triangulated; qualitative and quantitative data support previous educational research and produces some new insights. The research tracked the progress of the participants twelve and eighteen months after the completion of the Bee Inspired programme. Out of 45 participants, only three participants re-offended within eighteen months; well below average and expected norms as defined in similar research. In addition to the low re-offending rates, many participants continued their beekeeping practices which in itself may contribute to the perceived success of the programme. In conclusion, although small-scale and limited in terms of scope and generalizability, this research illuminates the experiences of young people ‘at risk’ involved in experiential education. The complex and multi-dimensional nature of these experiences relate to individuals’ diverse needs. Further research into experiential education programmes is therefore required, in particular, investigations into why factors specific to beekeeping could provide a way of reducing recidivism amongst some young people at risk.

In recent years honeybees have attracted a great deal of attention, an attention that seems to be rather unlikely when one looks at the general relationship between humans and the environment, which is often taken for granted. This study aims to look into one kind of corporate initiative in urban apiculture to reconnect humans and nature again. In particular the focus is on motivation, implementation and the impact these initiatives have on sustainable development. A transdisciplinary approach has been adopted that combines different perspectives of beekeepers in the field, scholars and business. It is thereby important to note that adopting apiculture as part of a corporate sustainability strategy is a rather recent trend, which reflects both the scope and the results of the study. This study has found the primary motivation behind apiculture projects for corporations to be raising awareness about the fate of honeybees (Apis mellifera) and supporting honeybee population numbers. This also reflects in the impact on sustainable development. Not only does the urban environment offer an ideal habitat that shows benefits for honeybee health and their honey, but honeybees also benefit the urban environment through their pollination services. And although the connection between corporations and apiculture seems to be alien at first glance, benefits also extend to the corporations themselves, including a greater identification with the corporation by its employees, more cooperation both within one corporation and with other corporations and more publicity. Urban apiculture can thus help reconnecting society and nature in different ways. However, the greater the abundance of honeybees the more limited seem their benefits and initially positive impacts might even turn negative. To prevent this, the study therefore concludes that it is important to decide about the extent in which urban apiculture is adopted on a case by case basis that is possibly supplemented by planting additional forage.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:26:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2009-04-29Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:55:18Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 peruchi_rmg_me_arafcl.pdf: 999990 bytes, checksum: 320425f32036407f75b22763c54f3925 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Existe todo um saber sobre a arte de cultivar abelhas, um saber que vem acompanhado de uma terminologia compartilhada por biólogos, apicultores, meliponicultores e também por instituições preocupadas com a preservação da biodiversidade e com o aumento da produção de alimentos através da polinização. Esta dissertação constitui um primeiro passo na direção de se repertoriar as unidades lexicais do português do Brasil que transitam entre a ciência e a prática profissional da apicultura. Apresentam-se sucintamente as diferentes fases históricas da apicultura no Brasil para fixar interesse na chamada Apicultura racional - a fase do conhecimento científico e da expansão comercial. Recuperam-se conceitos básicos da Filosofia da linguagem e das Ciências do léxico para, à luz da Socioterminologia, compreender o termo técnico como uma unidade da língua, cujos valores são atualizados em contextos pragmáticos específicos. O dicionário é apresentado como um discurso estruturado sobre o léxico, e o dicionário terminológico, como produto da Lexicografia especializada. Princípios da Linguística de corpus fundamentam a constituição da base textual. Apresentam-se ainda as ferramentas computacionais utilizadas para a obtenção da lista inicial, uma proposta para a estrutura conceitual do domínio e um modelo de ficha terminológica a ser utilizado no trabalho de registro das unidades. Enfim, encontram-se reunidos nesta dissertação os estudos iniciais para a sistematização do conhecimento da Apicultura e da Meliponicultura no Brasil em forma de um dicionário terminológico. / There is a body of knowledge on the art of cultivating bees, knowledge which is acquired together with a set of terms generated and shared by biologists, ecologists, beekeepers, melipona beekeepers, and also institutions concerned both with the biodiversity preservation and food production increase in the world through bee pollination. This thesis is the first step in the direction of cataloguing the lexical units adopted both by science and professional practice of Beekeeping and Stingless Beekeeping. In the first section we recover some Philosophy of Language, General Linguistics and Lexicon Science basic concepts. We start from Saussure’s linguistic sign signified analysis in order to get to the term signified and grasp the technical term in the light of Socioterminology, as a language unit whose values are activated in specific contexts. In the second section, we make a review of the specialized literature to present the dictionary as a lexicographic product, that is, the dictionary is not seen simply as a word-list, but as a structured discourse about the lexicon. In the third section, we introduce the Beekeeping and Stingless Beekeeping domains in Brazil. We have gathered information about the different historic stages in order to establish our interest in the so-called Rational Beekeeping, the stage of scientifical knowledge and commercial expansion of Brazilian Beekeeping. To ground the corpus development in the fourth section, we discourse on the practical and theoretical principles of the Corpus-based research, the bibliographic sources on the studied field and elucidate the computer tools used to obtain the digital data source. Finally, in the fifth and last section, we define the Beekeeping conceptual structure proposal and describe the protocol for terminological extraction record to be used. At last, this thesis includes the introductory studies to the Beekeeping... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:33:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2009-12-18Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:45:27Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 bendini_jn_dr_botfmvz.pdf: 529177 bytes, checksum: a53a8964c181be6747c777213e53fd3b (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) / O presente trabalho teve como objetivo realizar o mapeamento dos apiários da microrregião de Campos do Jordão, por meio do Sistema de Informações Geográficas (SIG), gerando uma base de dados relacionada a características referentes à procedência do apicultor regional em relação à distribuição espacial, número de colméias e produtividade. A referida microrregião apresenta, de acordo com o presente estudo, 54 apicultores distribuídos pelos seus 04 municípios, onde a atividade apícola é desenvolvida por pequenos produtores que possuem no máximo 70 colméias. O SIG mostrou-se uma ferramenta eficiente para a avaliação do desenvolvimento da atividade apícola da Microrregião de Campos do Jordão e servirá como instrumento de monitoramento da procedência do produto regional, principalmente para se orientar quanto à melhor distribuição futura de suas respectivas unidades apícolas, podendo gerar resultados positivos na produtividade melífera. / The objective of this paper was mapping the apiaries of the micro region of Campos do Jordão, through the Geographical Information System (GIS), generating a database related to beekeeper's characteristics as their space distribution, number of beehives and productivity. According to the present study, the micro region has 54 beekeepers distributed in 04 municipalities, where beekeeping activity is developed by a small group of producers who can own at the most 70 hives. As a result, the GIS has proved to be an efficient tool to evaluate the development of the beekeeping activity at the micro region of Campos de Jordão. Furthermore, it will be useful as a reference to monitor the origin of the regional final product, especially to lead the producers for a best distribution of their respective apiaries. Moreover, the finding could produce positive results in the melliferous productivity.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-05-08T14:53:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 2924205 bytes, checksum: 6258d000052e2926cf2316bd5353a761 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-08-12 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This research aims to assess the sustainability of production systems in central hive of Ceará. For concreteness of this goal was accomplished a participatory diagnosis, an exploratory qualitative approach and descriptive characteristics of the observed associations of beekeepers, so it is a multi-case study centered on beekeeping conglomerates, located in the central region of the State of Ceará, along with the beekeepers and the community of Palm end Riachão. Primary data were obtained through direct observation in beekeepers' associations, where diagnoses were made with the use of participatory methodology Clover Sustainability. The results are organized in drawings, pictures and descriptions, in order to clarify the analysis of information obtained. The results showed that the overall objective of the study was to evaluate the sustainability of beekeeping in the central region of Ceará was reached, since the use of the methodology Clover Sustainability assessment is well suited to this type of entity. Using this methodology, which presented a detailed description of the huge bee showed these critical points and their performance. The result of the discussions indicate that the sustainable actions developed in the associations are still tentative and that the biggest concern is still focused on the economic side. Although the results indicate some changes toward sustainability, also shows many shortcomings that make them away from this goal. This method is presented as a tool that fills a need that existed to make an assessment of sustainability in production systems with the adoption of a participatory system. And by using this method it was possible to determine the degree of sustainability of beekeeping in the region. / Este trabalho de pesquisa tem como objetivo avaliar a sustentabilidade de sistemas de produção apícolas da região central do Ceará. Para a concretude deste objetivo foi realizado um diagnóstico participativo, exploratório com uma abordagem qualitativa e descritiva que observou as características das associações de apicultores, assim trata-se de um estudo de multi-casos centrado nos conglomerados apícolas, localizados na região central do Estado do Ceará, junto aos apicultores das comunidades de Palmares e Riachão. Os dados primários foram obtidos através da observação direta nas associações de apicultores, onde foram realizados diagnósticos participativos com a utilização da metodologia Trevo de Sustentabilidade. Os resultados estão organizados em desenhos, quadros e descrições, de maneira a se tornar claro a análise das informações obtidas. Os resultados mostraram que o objetivo geral do trabalho, avaliar a sustentabilidade do sistema de produção apícola da região central do Ceará foi alcançado, já que o uso da metodologia Trevo de Sustentabilidade se adequou bem a avaliação desse tipo de entidade. O uso dessa metodologia, que apresentou uma descrição detalhada dos conglomerados apícolas, mostraram os pontos críticos destes e os seus desempenhos. O resultado das discussões sinalizam que as ações sustentáveis desenvolvidas nas associações ainda são tímidas e que a maior preocupação ainda é voltada para o lado econômico. Muito embora, os resultados indicam algumas mudanças em direção à sustentabilidade, revela ainda muitas deficiências que as fazem distanciar-se deste objetivo. Esse método se apresenta como uma ferramenta que preenche uma carência que existia para se fazer uma avaliação da sustentabilidade em sistemas produtivos com a adoção de um sistema participativo. E através do uso desse método foi possível determinar o grau de sustentabilidade da produção apícola nessa região.

Submitted by Élida Maeli Fernandes Quirino (maely_sax@hotmail.com) on 2018-05-15T13:05:55Z No. of bitstreams: 1 FRNACISCO ARICLENES OLINTO - DISSERTAÇÃO PPGSA PROFISSIONAL 2014..pdf: 1640106 bytes, checksum: b19b02a5c2c2ea22def9e997924518db (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-05-15T13:05:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 FRNACISCO ARICLENES OLINTO - DISSERTAÇÃO PPGSA PROFISSIONAL 2014..pdf: 1640106 bytes, checksum: b19b02a5c2c2ea22def9e997924518db (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-12-16 / A apicultura é uma das poucas atividades agropecuárias que atende aos três requisitos da sustentabilidade: o econômico, o social e o ecológico. Sendo assim, fornece renda para o apicultor, ocupa mão de obra familiar ou contratada e contribui para a preservação da flora nativa. A abelha é importante para a economia mundial como polinizadora, aumentando a produção de frutos e sementes, e como fornecedora de mel, cera, geleia real, própolis, pólen e veneno (apitoxina). Esses produtos são muito procurados para a matéria-prima das indústrias farmacêutica, alimentícia e cosmética e para consumo em forma natural. A sanidade pode afetar o desenvolvimento da apicultura, pois a Apis mellifera como qualquer outro organismo vivo, é susceptível a doenças causadas por bactérias, vírus, fungos e outros parasitas e as desordens metabólicas, nutricionais e hormonais, além de intoxicações diversas. Assim, em virtude da necessidade de estudos a respeito da sanidade apícola, objetiva-se estudar o comportamento higiênico e a identificação da varroatose e nosemose em colônias de abelhas Apis mellifera em apiários localizados no Sertão do Estado da Paraíba. A pesquisa foi realizada no período de março, abril e maio de 2014, em cinco apiários localizados nos municípios de Condado, Pombal, Jericó, São Bentinho e São Domingos, ambos situados na Mesorregião do Sertão do Estado da Paraíba, com um total de 25 colmeias avaliadas. O teste de comportamento higiênico foi realizado com base no método de perfuração das células de crias. Para análise da infestação por ácaro Varroa destructor, as abelhas adultas foram coletadas e acondicionadas em frascos de vidro contendo álcool a 70%, após 24 horas foi realizada a contagem dos ácaros. Para a identificação de Nosema spp. foi utilizado o método de nível de infecção da colônia, sendo selecionadas dez abelhas adultas para retirada do aparelho intestinal e posterior leitura em microscópio óptico. O percentual de comportamento higiênico foi semelhante em ambos os apiários, principalmente em Condado (93,96%), Pombal (94,30%), Jericó (87,63%) e São Domingos (95,20%), ocorrendo apenas uma ligeira diferença no apiário de São Bentinho com uma média de 76,31%. No apiário de Condado foram encontrados 59 ácaros Varroa destructor, nas colmeias do apiário de Pombal obteve-se apenas seis ácaros, em Jericó foram encontrados 19 ácaros, no apiário de São Bentinho, foi observado o maior número de ácaros entre os apiários, 62 varroas no total e no apiário de São Domingos foram observados 48 ácaros. A frequência de Nosema spp. em colmeias manejadas na região do estudo foi de 36% de um total de 25 enxames avaliados. O apiário localizado no município de Pombal obteve os melhores resultados, apresentando índice elevado de comportamento higiênico e valores baixos para varroatose e nosemose. A africanização das abelhas e as altas temperaturas do Sertão Paraibano tendem a possibilitar melhor resistência das colmeias a enfermidades. / Beekeeping is one of the few agricultural activities that meets the three requirements of sustainability: economic, social and ecological. Therefore, provides income for the beekeeper, occupies family labor or hired and contributes to the preservation of native flora. The bee is important for the world economy as a pollinator, increasing the production of fruits and seeds, and as a supplier of honey, beeswax, royal jelly, propolis, pollen and venom (bee venom). These products are in high demand for raw materials in the pharmaceutical, food and cosmetics industries and for consumption in natural form industries. Sanity may affect the development of beekeeping because Apis mellifera like any other living organism is susceptible to diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi and other parasites and metabolic, nutritional and hormonal disorders, and several poisoning. Thus, because of the need for studies concerning the apiculture health, this study focuses on hygienic behavior and the identification of varroatose and nosemosis in Apis mellifera honeybee colonies in apiaries located in the backlands of the state of Paraíba. The survey was conducted from March, April and May 2014, in five apiaries located in the cities of Condado, Pombal, Jericó, São Bentinho and São Domingos, both located in the Greater Region of the Backlands of the State of Paraíba, with a total of 25 evaluated hives. The hygienic behavior test was conducted based on the method of drilling the brood. For analysis of the mite Varroa destructor infestation, the adult bees were collected and placed in glass vials containing 70% alcohol, after 24 hours was performed to count the mites. For the identification of Nosema spp. we used the colony of infection level method, selecting ten adult bees to remove the intestinal and later reading device in an optical microscope. The hygienic behavior percentage was similar in both apiaries, especially in Condado (93.96%), Pombal (94.30%), Jericó (87.63%) and São Domingos (95.20%); there was one slight difference in the apiary of São Bentinho with an average of 76.31%. In Condado apiary found 59 mites Varroa destructor in the apiary hives of Pombal was obtained only six mites Jericó found 19 mites in the apiary of São Bentinho, it was observed the largest number of mites between apiaries, 62 varroas in total and in the apiary of São Domingos were observed 48 mites. The frequency of Nosema spp. In the hives managed in the region of the study was 36% of a total of 25 clusters evaluated. Apiary located in the city of Pombal obtained the best results, with high level of hygienic behavior and low values for varroatose and nosemosis. The Africanization of bees and the high temperatures of the Paraiba’s hinterlands tend to provide improved resistance to diseases of the hives.

This article consists on the study of how beekeeping can contribute to the economic development of small agricultural communities. The case study is the Retirense Association of Beekeepers (ARAPI) established by inhabitants of the «Retiro São Bento» community, located in the «Pantanal» in the city Barão de Melgaço in Mato Grosso, Brazil. The objective is to study the structure of the productive net of this organization as well as its importance for the development of the region where it is inserted. The research has been based on observation in loco and in information in documents yielded by Association and Ecological Ranch «SESC Pantanal». This is the entity that promoted the first actions for the insertion of the beekeeping in the «Retiro São Bento» community. As it has been already pointed in some studies, the Pantanal is an ecosystem of beehive, and then, the ARAPI has gotten success in its production and consequently the community could increase the familiar income, and promote actions for the development of the beekeeping as well as to guarantee a longer time of the biological wealth of this environmental «pantaneiro» to the next generations. / Este artigo constitui-se no estudo de como a apicultura pode contribuir para o desenvolvimento econômico de pequenas comunidades rurais, em especial no caso da Associação Retirense de Apicultores (ARAPI) fundada por moradores da comunidade Retiro São Bento localizada no Pantanal do município de Barão de Melgaço em Mato Grosso. Tendo como objetivo estudar a estrutura da rede produtiva desta organização bem como sua importância para o desenvolvimento da região em que está inserida, os meios de investigação se basearam em observação in loco e coleta de informações em documentos cedidos pela Associação e pela estância Ecológica SESC Pantanal, entidade que promoveu as primeiras ações para a inserção da apicultura na comunidade Retiro São Bento. Como já apontado em alguns estudos, o Pantanal é um ecossistema de grande potencial apícola, desta forma, a ARAPI tem obtido êxito em suas produções e, consequentemente a comunidade pôde incrementar a renda familiar e promover ações conservacionistas em benefício tanto para o desenvolvimento da apicultura como também para garantir por maior tempo a riqueza biológica deste ambiente pantaneiro às próximas gerações.