Honey-producer
Guides
Apini
honey bees
Apini is a tribe of bees within the family Apidae, comprising the genus Apis (honey bees). Members are characterized by production and storage of honey, construction of perennial colonial nests from wax, and highly organized eusocial behavior. The tribe includes approximately seven recognized species with numerous subspecies, distributed across Africa, Europe, Asia, and introduced worldwide. Honey bees are among the most economically important insects due to their role as pollinators and honey producers.
Brachygastra mellifica
Mexican Honey Wasp
Brachygastra mellifica is a neotropical social wasp and one of the few wasp species known to produce and store honey. Adults are small, measuring 7–9 mm in length, with workers and males displaying alternating yellow and black abdominal bands while queens are dark reddish-brown. The species constructs large paper nests in tree canopies that may persist for years in favorable climates. Colonies are exceptionally large, housing 3,500–18,700 individuals with multiple queens. The species has significant economic value as a pollinator of avocados and as a biological control agent for the Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri), a major citrus pest.