Traditional family beekeeping constitutes a critical component of ethnobiological and intangible cultural heritage in the semi-arid regions of Mexico. However, socio-ecological shifts and biological invasions threaten the continuity of this ancestral practice. This report examines the erosion and adaptation of traditional beekeeping practices within the “Puerto del Aire” ejido, a rural community located in the Chihuahuan Desert system of southern Nuevo León, Mexico. Spanning a observation window from 2019 to 2024, this study utilizes an ethnographic case study design integrated into a broader participatory action research framework. Data were collected via household surveys, direct observations, environmental transects, and eight deep biographical interviews with community elders (aged 45 to 96 years). The findings illustrate a severe decline in localized apicultural knowledge and colony survival. This loss is primarily driven by environmental stressors, shifting socio-economic dynamics, and the historical invasion of the Africanized honey bee (Apis mellifera scutellata). Despite severe knowledge erosion, contemporary efforts highlight community-led adaptation strategies designed to manage new socio-ecological and behavioral traits of regional bee populations. The intersection of biological pressures and cultural erosion poses a critical threat to regional biodiversity and intangible heritage. Preserving family-scale apiculture requires targeted participatory conservation strategies that bridge traditional ecological knowledge with modern apiary management under changing climate regimes.