Honey Bee

The small honey bee, long a symbol of hard work and cooperation, has one of the most complex social arrangements and caste systems in the entire animal kingdom.

The defining characteristic of this insect is the ability to construct large colonial nests from wax and then convert nectar into sweet honey. Both the wax and the honey they produce are exploited by humans for our own personal uses. But bees also play a very important role in the environment by transporting pollen between flowers.

4 Incredible Honey Bee Facts!

• A single colony can contain up to 80,000 bees at a time.
• These bees secrete wax between plates on the underside of the abdomen. This wax creates the comb-like structure in which the larvae reside.
• It is believed that these bees can communicate important information to each other (including the location of food) through a complicated dance. Learn about the smartest animals on earth here.
• Since the dawn of the 21st century, these bee colonies are mysteriously collapsing in some parts of the world, and it’s not clear why.

Species, Types, and Scientific Names

The scientific name for this bee is Apis (a Latin word that simply means bee). Compared to the 20,000 species of bees, this bee genus contains at least eight different species. The western honey bee is by far the most common, especially for the purpose of making domesticated honey.

Here’s a full list of them:

• Western Honey Bee – Apis mellifera
• Eastern Honey Bee – Apis cerana
• Philippine Honey Bee – Apis nigrocincta
• Koschevnikov’s Honey Bee – Apis koschevnikovi
• Giant Honey Bee – Apis dorsata
• Himalayan Giant Honey Bee – Apis laboriosa
• Black Dwarf Honey Bee – Apis andreniformis
• Dwarf Honey Bee – Apis florea

Evolution and Origins

Honey bees are believed to have evolved from hunting wasps, which developed a taste for nectar and changed their diet to become vegetarian. The process of their evolution began between 80 and 150 million years ago, during the Cretaceous Period.

Recent research has shown that honey bees are derived from an ancient lineage of cavity-nesting bees that arrived from Asia around the same time. These bees developed physiological and behavioral adaptations to efficiently collect and transfer pollen from flower to flower, making them the primary pollinators of plants today.

Why are Honey Bees Important?

Honeybees are important for a variety of reasons. One of the most significant is their role in pollination. They pollinate many of the fruits, vegetables, and nuts that make up a significant portion of our diet, including apples, almonds, and blueberries.

Additionally, honey bees help to pollinate plants that provide habitat and food for other wildlife. They also produce honey and beeswax, which are used in a wide range of food and non-food products.

They are also used as model organisms in scientific research to study topics such as learning, memory, and social behavior.

In recent years, honey bee populations have been in decline due to factors such as habitat loss, disease, and pesticide exposure, which highlights the need to protect and conserve them.

Appearance: How to Identify the Honey Bee

These bees are small, flying insects with long, segmented bodies divided into the head, the thorax (essentially, the mid-section), and the abdomen from which a long and sharp stinger emerges. The body is covered in alternating bands of yellow/reddish brown and dark bands, which serve as a warning against potential threats. It also has two wings, six legs, and small hair over its body. A typical bee is only about half an inch long, or the size of a paper clip.

The bee colony has a complex social arrangement comprised of three different classes. The male drones only serve one basic purpose: reproduction. During the winter months, they are expelled from the colony to save resources, and most end up dying.

Female bees make up the entirety of the workforce. They forage for food, build up the hive, and protect it from threats. However, they are incapable of sexual reproduction. The queen, of which only one usually exists at a time, has sole reproductive duties and also guides the activity of the entire hive. If one queen dies, then the colony can create another one by feeding a female larva a special elixir.

Honey Bee vs. Bumble Bee

The bumble bee has a very similar appearance and social structure to the honey bee. The main differences are the larger body, thicker coat of hair, and a darker set of wings. It also forms smaller colonies and does not produce honey.

Habitat

These bees are actually endemic to South and East Asia and parts of Africa. Only the western bee (as a result of human domestication) is found in almost every ecosystem around the world except for the most extreme climates. With a few exceptions, they construct nests in protected areas such as tree cavities or the underside of buildings.

Diet

These insects get all of their nutrients from pollen and nectar, which are both products of plants. Pollen provides most of the protein, while nectar provides most of the carbohydrates and water. In order to survive the coldest months, the workers store up food reserves for the winter in their honeycombs. They create honey by processing the nectar inside of their bodies and then regurgitating it. For a complete list of foods bees eat, check out our “What Do Bees Eat?” page.

Prevention

The most effective way to get rid of these insects is to use some kind of repellent or bee spray, including insecticides, citronella candles, garlic spray, vinegar, ultrasonic insect repellents, and insect repellent plants. You can also buy or create your own bee trap and lure them inside. It is not recommended to handle a hive yourself.