Honeybee (Apis mellifera)

Size: 12–15 mm worker (female); (Queen = 18-22 mm; drones (males) 15-17 mm)

Color: Golden brown and black abdominal stripes

Type of Flight: Slow and lumbering (without fear of humans)

Distinguishing Characteristics:

(1) Golden-brown hair covers black abdomen

(2) Workers have morphological specializations, including a pollen basket (corbiculum) on the rear leg

(3) Workers are 12-15 mm and weigh 100 mg (Queens and drones (males) weigh 200 mg)

Abundance in Georgia: Very Common

Typically Found in Georgia: Year-round

Pollination Value: Very High (an important pollinator of agricultural crops)

Plants Associated with: All flowering plants (Generalist – not specific to any type of plant)

Nesting Habitat: These bees live in commercial, artificial hives or (rarely) in feral/wild colonies with hives suspended in trees.

Classification: Family: Apidae         Genus: Apis

Number of Species in Georgia: 1

Number of Species in United States: 1

Photos taken by Sam Droege and staff at the USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Laboratory (Used with permission)

–> Click on the photo to enlarge the image

 

Field photos taken by Mark Schlueter

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