The Hiaki phrase for “bee” is mumu yoeria, but just like with ants, there are different kinds of bees that warrant their own names. One such bee is viko. Vikom are normally about the size of houseflies, but otherwise they are very similar to other mumu yoeriam; they have the same coloring, they live in hives, they can sting, and they make honey, which is just as sweet as normal honey. Vikom do not exist here in Tucson, but they do exist in the Hiaki homeland in Sonora. This may be because vikom prefer to make their hives in trees called sita’avaum, which are also not found here. They have been known to make their hives in mesquite trees with lighter-colored bark, though even so, they simply do not exist in this area. When they do make their hives, called toosam, they begin by burrowing under the bark so that the end result looks like a ball sticking out of the tree.
