Honey Bee
Apis mellifera
Quick answer
The honey bee is a social insect that lives in colonies of tens of thousands, built around a single egg-laying queen. Honey bees pollinate a large share of the crops people rely on, make honey from flower nectar, and communicate the location of food through a "waggle dance." Worker bees live only a few weeks in summer, while a queen can live several years.
Honey Bee facts at a glance
| Scientific name | Apis mellifera |
|---|---|
| Diet | Nectar and pollen |
| Habitat | Worldwide wherever flowering plants grow |
| Lifespan | Workers ~6 weeks; queens 2–5 years |
| Colony size | 20,000–80,000 bees |
| Top speed | ~28 km/h (17 mph) |
| Conservation status | Not formally evaluated by IUCN |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Arthropoda |
| Class | Insecta |
| Order | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Apidae |
| Genus | Apis |
Life in the colony
A honey bee colony is a single tightly organized society. One queen lays all the eggs, thousands of female workers forage, build comb, feed young, and defend the hive, and male drones exist mainly to mate. Tasks shift as a worker ages, from cleaning and nursing inside the hive to foraging outside.
Pollination and honey
As bees move between flowers collecting nectar and pollen, they transfer pollen and fertilize plants. This pollination underpins a large portion of global food crops. Back at the hive, bees convert nectar into honey, a stored food that sustains the colony through times when flowers are scarce.
The waggle dance
Honey bees share the location of good food sources through a remarkable behavior called the waggle dance. A returning forager moves in a figure-eight pattern, and the angle and duration of the central "waggle" run encode the direction and distance of the flowers relative to the sun.
Threats and importance
Honey bees face pressure from habitat loss, pesticides, parasites such as the varroa mite, and disease. Because they pollinate so many crops, their health is closely tied to food security, and beekeepers and researchers work to keep colonies strong.
Frequently asked questions about the Honey Bee
How many bees live in a hive?
A healthy honey bee colony usually contains 20,000 to 80,000 bees in summer, made up of one queen, many thousands of female workers, and some male drones.
Why are honey bees important?
Honey bees pollinate a large share of the crops people eat, helping plants produce fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. They also produce honey and beeswax.
What is the waggle dance?
The waggle dance is how a honey bee tells hive mates where to find food. The direction and length of its waggling run encode the direction and distance to the flowers.
How long do honey bees live?
Summer worker bees live only about six weeks, while the queen can live two to five years. Workers raised in autumn can survive through the winter.
Do honey bees die when they sting?
Worker honey bees usually die after stinging a mammal, because their barbed stinger and part of their body are torn away. They sting mainly to defend the colony.
How fast can a honey bee fly?
Honey bees fly at around 28 km/h (17 mph) when traveling to flowers, and a bit slower when returning loaded with nectar and pollen.
