Genus Apis

Classification · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Remarks

Is this a worker honey bee? - Apis mellifera

Drone Honey Bee in California - Apis mellifera - male

unknown bee on Coreopsis - Apis mellifera

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)

No Taxon (Aculeata - Bees, Ants, and other Stinging Wasps)

No Taxon (Anthophila (Apoidea) - Bees)

Family Apidae (Cuckoo, Carpenter, Digger, Bumble, and Honey Bees)

Subfamily Apinae (Honey, Bumble, and Digger Bees)

Tribe Apini (Honey Bees)

Genus Apis

Explanation of Names

Genus name is Latin apis meaning honeybee, and this particular Latin word does not appear to be related to the words for bee in most other Indo-European languages (Wiktionary--apis).

Numbers

Worldwide, there are at least four species, but only the introduced honeybee, Apis mellifera, is found in North America.

Remarks

The ability to store honey reserves means workers can keep the hive warm by vibrating their wing muscles on cold days and nothing has to go dormant- so they're often out and about in early spring. Taken from a comment by Chuck Entz, 11 April, 2009.

Contributed by Troy Bartlett on 29 March, 2004 - 10:02pm
Additional contributions by cotinis, Chuck Entz, Ted Kropiewnicki
Last updated 9 November, 2009 - 9:32am

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