Image Credit: Image copyright www.InsectIdentification.org; No Reproduction Permitted
9/10
Image Credit: Image copyright www.InsectIdentification.org; No Reproduction Permitted
10/10
Image Credit: Image copyright www.InsectIdentification.org; No Reproduction Permitted
The invaluable Honey Bee is a mainstay in the world of agriculture and an icon of efficiency for many businesses.
Honey Bee Videos
Honey Bees pollinating cherry trees
Occupations for a Honey Bee break down into one of three categories: worker bee, drone, or queen Bee. Unlike wasps, Honey Bees create hives out of wax (not a paper-like substance) and only swarm when they are reproducing. Swarms occur when the old queen leaves with a portion of the hive while those that stay behind work with a new queen recently born inside the hive. A female larva can be fed a special diet by the worker bees, which will make her a fertile queen. Other female larvae are given a regular diet that renders them infertile.
Worker bees are these sterile females and they measure between 9 and 18mm long while a queen bee can be 18 to 20mm in length. Male drones lack stingers and reside in the hive until reproduction is complete. They are then killed by the worker bees and removed from the hive.
Worker bees feature a nearly all-black head with a body coloring of golden brown and black with dull orange patches. Yellow bands are very visible on the abdomen and the wings are clear. The entire body is covered in tiny hairs with a dense amount sitting both on the head and the body.
Honey Bees are naturally found throughout the United States but they are also bred commercially. Currently, Honey Bee populations are disappearing from commercial hives for some known and still unknown reasons. Entomologists call this anomaly CCD, or Colony Collapse Disorder. Honey Bees are a super-pollinator for most fruits and vegetables grown for human consumption, and a limited number of them directly effects how much fruit is generated on a fruit or nut tree, berry bush or vegetable patch.
Honey Bees originally came to the New World from Europe when early colonists came to settle in America. Various subspecies originating from Russia, Italy, and Slovenia are slightly different in color and personality (temperament), but all members of the species are used for their honey production. The Honey Bee's range now covers the entire North American continent, much to its benefit.
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Arthropoda
Class:Insecta
Order:Hymenoptera
Family:Apidae
Genus:Apis
Species:mellifera
Identifying Information
Scientific Name: Apis mellifera
Category:
Bee, Ant, Wasp and Similar
Size (Adult; Length): 9mm to 20mm (0.35in to 0.78in)
Note: An insect's reach is not limited by lines drawn on a map and therefore species may appear in areas, regions and/or states beyond those listed above as they are driven by environmental factors (such as climate change), available food supplies and mating patterns. Grayed-out selections indicate that the subject in question has not been reported in that particular territory. U.S. states and Canadian provinces / territories are clickable to their respective bug listings.
Ant, Bee, and Wasp Anatomy
1
Antennae: Ants and Bees both have a pair of antennae on the head that senses their surroundings.
2
Head: The head contains the insect's compound eyes, antennae, and mandibles.
3
Thorax: Contains various vital parts such as the aorta and nervous system.
4
Abdomen: Contains various organs including the heart, gut, venom glands, and anus.
5
Legs: Ants and Bees have three pairs of legs attached to the thorax (center-body section).
NOTE: Ants, Bees and Wasps are part of the Hymenoptera order because they share many similarities.
Colors: red, brown, black, orange, yellow
