Investigating the molecular basis of cleptobiosis in eusocial stingless bees

Cleptobiosis is a common behavior among animals where individuals of one species steal food acquired by another species. However, species that are obligate cleptobionts are uncommon, and the eusocial stingless bee Lestrimelitta limao is one of these rare species. Little is still known about the molecular basis and evolution of cleptobiosis in stingless bees, and this project aimed to compare transcriptomic data from L. limao and three non-cleptobiotic bee species to better understand these issues.