Eugene asked:

> Is there a detectable difference between honey from these species? 
> Assuming they're working the same blooms, what if anything are they doing 
> differently?

If kept in the same area, it is quite likely that they will work different 
plants.  In the Western Ghats (mountains S India) we saw carana working 
cardamom in deep shade at 7.30am.  When they tried importing mellifera they 
would not work it at all.   The stingless bees work another group of plants.

> (Isn't honey from scutella the same as that from mellifera?)

Yes, scutella (or scutellata) is Apis mellifera scutellata!

> For that matter, if we could coax bumblebees into storing honey, would it 
> be different from that stored by honeybees?

They don't store 'honey' - just nectar - so we will never know.
Best wishes

Peter Edwards
beekeepers at stratford-upon-avon.freeserve.co.uk
www.stratford-upon-avon.freeserve.co.uk/

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