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You’ve heard of the all-famous Muhammad Ali quote: “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee”, but did you know that not all bees can sting you?

There are around 500 species of stingless bees, sometimes called meliponines (yeah, it’s a mouthful) or lebah kelulut in Malay. As the name indicates, these bees won’t sting you, but they do bite when they feel threatened.

Don’t feel too safe just yet! There are reports that some stingless bees bite into their attacker’s flesh and refuse to let go. Bites may sound less harmless than a sting, but it’s still painful and can leave a mark! They’re also protective of their hives, and trap intruders such as ants with their sticky propolis.

These bees can be found in many tropical or subtropical regions, including Australia, Africa, and yes—Malaysia!

Here’s what a stingless bee (on your left) looks like next to a honey bee (on your right):

Images via www.beesmatter.ca and www.beingmark.com

(Personally, we’d be too busy running away before inspecting the kind of bee we’re dealing with.)

Stingless bees are active all year round, though less so in cold weather. You might find their hives in tree branches and hollow trunks, but you might also find their hives in old garbage cans, storage drums and even wall cavities. These hives can contain from 300 to 80,000 bees!

Stingless bees produce honey that tastes different than honey bees’. It has a slight sour taste, as it ferments more, like the taste of honey lemon. Honey from stingless bees has been proven to be very beneficial for our health. It can repair damaged body cells, improve blood circulation, eliminate fatigue, and improve our metabolism.

If you’d like to experience the many health benefits of stingless bee honey, then you can try RainAyur’s Super Honey, a local product from their own stingless bee farm. Not only is it a good product for yourself, it also makes a good gift for your loved ones.

Super Honey, which contains 100% stingless bee honey, can be bought from Lazada. For more information, including an opportunity to become an agent, visit www.superhoney.com.my.