An ancient tradition of beekeeping on Mexico's Yucatan peninsula is on the verge dying out, due to cultural change and loss of habitat.
Long before Europeans introduced honeybees (Apis mellifera) to the Americas, Mayan beekeepers harvested honey from the log nests of stingless bees that inhabit the tropical forests.
"For thousands of years, Mayans were expert practitioners of bee husbandry, and honey was an essential forest resource: as a sweetener, as an antibiotic and as an ingredient in the Mayan version of mead," said bee expert David Roubik.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20050613/sc_space/mayanstinglessbeekeepingindanger(yep, I'm a science nerd. Get over it. Also think it would be cool to be a beekeeper except I'm allergic to bee stings)