Apis mellifera

Linnaeus, 1758

Western honey bee, European honey bee

Species Guides

4

The Western is a highly social insect native to Europe, Africa, and Western Asia, with evidence supporting an Asian origin followed by expansion into Africa and Europe. It is the most widely managed globally, valued for honey production and crop pollination. Research indicates that while honey bees achieve high pollination effectiveness through numerical abundance, they are rarely the most effective single-visit pollinators compared to wild . The species significant threats from the parasitic mite Varroa destructor, though some stocks show social apoptosis as a defense mechanism.

Apis mellifera scutellata by (c) Wynand Uys, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Wynand Uys. Used under a CC-BY license.Apis mellifera carnica worker hive entrance 3 crop2 by File:Apis mellifera carnica worker hive entrance 3.jpg: Image:MFB.jpg Richard Bartz, Munich Makro Freak & Beemaster Hubert Seibring, Munich which gave me advice and a protection suite ;) My dog caught 6 bee-stings on the nose, i caught 4. derivative work: Eryakaas. Used under a CC BY-SA 2.5 license.Apis mellifera carnica worker hive entrance 2 by Richard Bartz, Munich Makro Freak & Beemaster Hubert Seibring, Munich which gave me advice and a protection suite ;) My dog cashed 6 bee-sticks on the nose, i cashed 4.. Used under a CC BY-SA 2.5 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Apis mellifera: /ˈeɪ.pɪs mɛˈlɪ.fɛ.rə/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Habitat

Cavity-nesting utilizing hollow trees, rock crevices, and artificial hives. Native range spans diverse environments across Europe, Africa, and Western Asia. occupy similar cavities in wooded and semi-open landscapes. Managed colonies occur in agricultural settings, urban areas, and worldwide.

Distribution

Native to Europe, Africa, and Western Asia. Introduced to the Americas (Jamestown, Virginia in 1622; California in 1853), Australia, New Zealand, and other regions globally. Multiple evolutionary lineages recognized: M lineage (Eurasia), C lineage (Europe), O and Y lineages (Western Asia), and A lineage (Africa). In Italy, the C lineage predominates except in Sicily where the A lineage is most frequent.

Diet

Nectar and pollen collected from diverse flowering plants. consume nectar for energy; larvae are fed pollen and honey. Colony nutritional requirements vary seasonally with rearing intensity.

Host Associations

  • Varroa destructor - Devastating parasitic mite and ; reproduces in both and drone of A. mellifera, unlike in A. cerana where is restricted to drone brood.
  • Varroa jacobsoni - Documented in association with A. mellifera in the Philippines.

Life Cycle

Holometabolous development with complete : , larva, pupa, . lays eggs in individual wax . feed larvae progressively; cells are capped for . Development time varies by : queens approximately 16 days, workers approximately 21 days, drones approximately 24 days. Colony occurs through swarming, where a new queen and workers depart to establish a new nest.

Behavior

Eusocial with complex division of labor among , , and drones. Workers perform age-related task progression from nursing to foraging. Communicates food source location through . Thermoregulates hive temperature through fanning and clustering. Some stocks exhibit social apoptosis: delayed development and mortality of infested worker pupae, sacrificing individuals to limit Varroa mite and transmission.

Ecological Role

Major managed for agricultural crops worldwide. Transfers pollen during nectar and pollen foraging, contributing to plant . High visitation frequency compensates for lower single-visit pollination effectiveness compared to many wild . Research indicates imperfect substitutability for wild pollinator loss.

Human Relevance

Primary managed for global agriculture, essential for production of numerous fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Source of honey, , , and . Subject of extensive industry. Research model for social , genetics, and neuroscience. Introduction to North America in 1622 established beekeeping in the United States; Italian (A. m. ligustica) became commercial stock after 1859.

Similar Taxa

  • Apis ceranaAsian ; distinguished by smaller size, more pronounced abdominal banding, and evolved resistance to Varroa destructor through restricted mite to drone and social apoptosis .
  • Bombus vosnesenskii; larger, hairier, more effective single-visit for some plants, nests underground rather than in cavities, lacks colony persistence.

More Details

Genetic Research Advances

Recent improvements in genetic methods have increased success rates from 19% to 44%, enabling functional studies of the approximately 15,000 genes in the . This facilitates research on gene function in social , development, and environmental response.

Africanized Bee Concerns

Defensive in some may result from Africanized honey bee , though European stocks can exhibit similar aggression under disturbance. Definitive identification requires testing, as morphological differences are minimal.

Sources and further reading