Afrotropical Stingless Bees Illustrate a Persistent Cultural Blind Spot in Research, Policy and Conservation

Managed and wild bees contribute not only to ecological functions and agricultural productivity, but also to a wide range of cultural ecosystem services (CES) structuring human livelihoods and that remain largely overlooked in pollinator research, policy and conservation. This article examines the multifaceted CES provided by wild bees, with particular attention to the spiritual, medicinal, and traditional knowledge-based dimensions associated with Afrotropical stingless bees. We argue that systematic recognition and documentation of these cultural roles are critical to advancing more inclusive and effective conservation frameworks. Drawing on examples from sub-Saharan Africa, we demonstrate how CES simultaneously support biodiversity objectives and strengthen community resilience, and we propose future research and policy directions aimed at embedding these cultural values more comprehensively within conservation strategies.