Pollination
As honey bees move between flowers collecting nectar and pollen, they transfer pollen and help many flowering plants reproduce.
Apis Mellifera
Meet the western honey bee — a remarkable pollinator, honey producer, and highly social insect that plays an essential role in ecosystems around the world.
Explore the Honey Bee
About the species
A small insect with a huge impact.
Apis mellifera, commonly known as the western honey bee, is one of the world's best-known bee species. Colonies contain thousands of individuals that cooperate to gather food, raise young, defend their home, and survive seasonal changes.
Western honey bee (Apis mellifera).
Image via
Wikimedia Commons
.
Honey
Bees transform flower nectar into honey, storing it in wax honeycomb as a concentrated energy source that helps sustain the colony.
The Colony
A honey bee colony is a sophisticated society built around cooperation, communication, and a division of labor.
Life & society
Built for cooperation.
Honey bees communicate through movement, scent, sound, and touch. Their famous waggle dance can help other workers locate promising sources of food.
Honey bees and honeycomb.
Image via
Wikimedia Commons
.
Female reproductive caste
The Queen
The queen is the colony's primary reproductive female. Her main role is producing eggs and maintaining the next generation of bees. She is generally larger and longer-bodied than worker bees.
Non-reproductive female caste
Worker Bees
Worker bees are female and perform most of the colony's daily tasks. Depending on age and colony needs, workers clean cells, feed larvae, produce wax, guard the entrance, and forage for nectar and pollen.
Male reproductive caste
Drone Bees
Drones are male honey bees whose primary biological role is reproduction. They leave the colony to mate with queens from other colonies. Drones are typically larger than workers and have notably large eyes.
Quick facts
Honey bee highlights.
A few details that make Apis mellifera such a fascinating species.
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Highly social
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Found worldwide
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Makes honey