©FUNPEC-RP www.funpecrp.com.br Genetics and Molecular Research 8 (2): 649-654 (2009) Hygienic behavior of the stingless bee Plebeia remota (Holmberg, 1903) (Apidae, Meliponini) P. Nunes-Silva 1 , V.L. Imperatriz-Fonseca 2 and L.S. Gonçalves 2 1 Departamento de Ecologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil 2 Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofa, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil Corresponding author: P. Nunes-Silva E-mail: pnsilva@ib.usp.br Genet. Mol. Res. 8 (2): 649-654 (2009) Received December 12, 2008 Accepted January 26, 2009 Published June 2, 2009 AbStrAct. We investigated hygienic behavior in 10 colonies of Plebeia remota, using the pin-killed method. After 24 h the bees had removed a mean of 69.6% of the dead brood. After 48 h, the bees had removed a mean of 96.4% of the dead brood. No signifcant correlation was found between the size of the brood comb and the number of dead pupae removed, and there was no apparent effect of the origin and the condition of the colony on the hygienic behavior of the bees. Plebeia remota has an effciency of hygienic behavior superior to that of three of the other four stingless bee species studied until now. Key words: Plebeia remota; Stingless bees; Hygienic behavior