Indigenous women save the sacred Mayan bee

At the "Lool Xaan" meliponary in Santa Elena, Yucatán, seven producers from the group carried out their 2026 melipona honey harvest, part of the productive growth they have achieved thanks to the ongoing support of Educampo's field team, as part of the En Pro de la Mujer Península project.

Before starting the harvest, the producers were walked through the good practices needed for a safe, hygienic process that avoids cross-contamination and ensures high-quality honey. With that foundation, the group carefully selected and checked each hive to be harvested, making sure none would be damaged or lost in the process. Before beginning, they sterilized the workspace and thoroughly cleaned the tools and materials they would use.

Equipped with personal protective gear — a hood, mask, apron, and gloves — the producers harvested only the pots of honey that were already mature, leaving the rest of the hive untouched. This choice matters: harvesting only what is needed keeps the bees from being weakened and ensures the colonies stay healthy and productive, continuing to fulfill their role as native pollinators for the region.

Once the harvest was finished, the producers recorded the traceability of each batch of honey: harvest date, name of the productive unit, municipality, locality, and hives harvested. This record not only supports the quality of the final product but also lets the producers track the condition of their hives over time — a habit that strengthens the responsible management of the meliponary.

Thanks to these months of care and learning, the group achieved a larger harvest than the previous year, without compromising the health of their hives or the lives of the bees. This result shows that protecting native bees and improving production can go hand in hand, and that the good practices learned month after month are becoming a natural part of how the Lool Xaan producers work.

At Educampo, thanks to your support, we continue accompanying these women's groups as they keep strengthening their meliponaries with practices that are ever more respectful of the environment.