Neuroanatomical studies of insect brains, in concert with detailed ethological studies, can advance our knowledge of how the brain functions. Insects from tropical latitudes have been studied infrequently by neurobiologists:understanding the differences and similarities among the great diversity of bees in the tropics is an obvious requirement for studies of comparative behavior. We are exploring whether the neuroanatomy of bee brains varies in any systematic way across taxa that differ by social system. Here we report findings from our studies of orchid bees (Euglossa sp.) and comment on future use of basic histology for comparative neuroethology.