Heterotrigona itama is a stingless bee species from Meliponini tribe. The bee collects nectar, pollen and resin to produce honey, bee bread, and propolis. The bee is also known to visit and collect nectar from various types of flowers but there are limited studies on why this species of bee prefers to visit certain types of flowers. This study was conducted to identify the nectar concentration in selected flowers favoured by H. itama and the relationship between the bee and the morphology of the flowers. Nectar was obtained from different species of flowers and the concentrations were measured using a digital refractometer. The tube length of each flower species and the tongue length of the bees were also measured. The results revealed that flowers preferred by H. itama have high nectar concentrations. The tube lengths of the preferred flowers were between 2.0 and 4.0 mm, which is compatible with the tongue length of the bee. This study revealed that both nectar concentration and flower morphology are important factors for the bees in choosing their food sources. The results from this study will benefit the beekeepers in the identification of flowers that should be planted in their farms to improve stingless bee beekeeping activities. Understanding the relationship between the bees and their flower preferences could also help us to understand the importance of conserving both the bee colonies and the various species of flowering plants to ensure the sustainability of flora and fauna in the ecosystem.

伊塔杂种鹰是来自Meliponini部落的无刺蜂种。蜜蜂收集花蜜，花粉和树脂以生产蜂蜜，蜂面包和蜂胶。还已知蜜蜂会从各种类型的花朵中访问并采集花蜜，但关于为什么这种蜜蜂更喜欢访问某些类型的花朵的研究很少。进行了这项研究，以鉴定出受板栗嗜好的选定花朵中的花蜜浓度，以及蜜蜂与花朵形态之间的关系。花蜜来自不同种类的花，并使用数字折光仪测量浓度。还测量了每种花的试管长度和蜜蜂的舌头长度。结果显示，H。itama偏爱的花朵花蜜浓度高。首选花的管长在2.0到4.0毫米之间，与蜜蜂的舌头长度相适应。这项研究表明，花蜜的浓度和花的形态都是蜜蜂选择食物来源的重要因素。这项研究的结果将有利于养蜂人确定应在其农场种植的花朵，以改善无刺养蜂活动。理解蜜蜂及其花的喜好之间的关系也可以帮助我们理解保护蜂群和各种开花植物的重要性，以确保生态系统中动植物的可持续性。