STUDY HOUR

  Unpacking Honeybee Identity: Taxonomic Classification Understanding the taxonomic classification of honey bees, particularly the Western Honey Bee ( Apis mellifera ), helps to place them within the broader tree of life and illustrates their evolutionary relationships. Table: Taxonomic Classification of Apis mellifera Rank Classification Kingdom Animalia Phylum Arthropoda Subphylum Hexapoda Class Insecta Infraclass Neoptera Subclass Pterygota Order Hymenoptera Suborder Apocrita Superfamily Apoidea Family Apidae Subfamily Apinae Tribe Apini Genus Apis Species Apis mellifera Linnaeus, 1758 The Western Honey Bee, Apis mellifera , is classified as...

  A World of Diversity: Types and Characteristics of Honey Bees Honey bees are distinguished by their construction of perennial, hexagonally celled nests made of secreted wax, their large colony sizes, and their unique method of storing digested carbohydrates as surplus food in the form of honey. A typical colony can range from several thousand to 60,000 workers, a single queen, and hundreds of drones, all clustered over wax combs used for food storage and rearing young. Their activities are highly seasonal, adapting to changes in temperature and food availability, from intensive brood rearing in spring to tight clustering for warmth in winter.   While Apis mellifera , the Western Honey Bee, is the most common and commercially significant species globally, the genus Apis encompasses several other fascinating species, each with unique adaptations and geographical distributions.   The Western Honey Bee ( Apis mellifera ) The Western Honey Bee ( Apis mellifera ) ...