Abstract
This article is the result of researching and analyzing the descriptions of bees and wasps made by chroniclers, travelers, and missionaries in the Portuguese and Spanish Americas. The documental sources used in this study were chronicles, letters, and treatises produced during the first century of European colonization. When analyzing the reports on this type of insects, we could observe the concern about how threatening wasps and bees’ attacks may be for the survival of the colonies, as well as the potential of exploiting the honey produced by various native species of bees. The relevance of native knowledge has also become evident, especially regarding the indigenous names of the species described, as well as the detailed description of their physical and behavioral characteristics.
Keywords
New World; 16th Century; Bees; Wasps; Honey