A plaque with your name
Recognized at the stingless bee sanctuary where your hive lives — physical proof that this colony is sustained by you.
Adopt a hive · Tree-nesting species · Devil's Beard
Meet the Devil's Beard · Melipona sp.
The rebel of the forest — small, brave, and protective.
About this species
About the Devil's Beard
Devil's Beard (Barba del Diablo) is small but brave, with a strong and protective character. She has no stinger, but she knows how to stand her ground.
The species takes its local name from the bearded entrance of its nest — a swirl of resinous fibres the workers build to mask the hive. That same structure makes the colony easy to spot in the canopy and easy to defend against ants and beetles.
Barba del Diablo — Indigenous name
How your donation helps
Every contribution funds real work.
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Monthly monitoring of the colony by trained Kukama beekeepers
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Maintenance the host tree against logging and agricultural expansion
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Materials for tree planting, bee sanctuaries and community workshops on sustainable meliponiculture
As a supporter
What you receive in return
Every hive you adopt is home to 2,000–4,000 stingless bees. Here's what comes back to you in return:
Annual reports
A yearly update on how your colony is doing — surviving, growing, producing.
Photos and videos
Periodic field updates from the tree, hive, or rational box you support.
Knowing you're protecting bees
The lasting satisfaction of safeguarding a keystone species of Amazonian forests.
The community's story
A profile of the Indigenous community stewarding your hive, in their own voice.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What every donor wants to know before adopting a Devil's Beard colony.
What does "adopt" actually mean?
It is a symbolic adoption: your contribution funds the protection of the bees, their habitat, and the Indigenous family that cares for them. You do not gain legal ownership of the colony — the impact is conservation, not possession.
Where is the hive located?
Inside the buffer zone of the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, near the San Francisco community in Nauta district, Loreto Region, Peru. The hive sits in a native tree maintained by the host family.
Who cares for the hive?
Indigenous Kukama Kukamiria families trained in sustainable meliponiculture. Their work combines ancestral knowledge with modern monitoring techniques.
What do I receive?
A digital adoption certificate, an introduction to the host community, biological information about the species and the tree where it nests, and monthly photo/video updates.
Can I gift the adoption?
Yes. At checkout you can personalize the certificate for the recipient’s name of your choice.