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Honey Bee

Apis mellifera

Basic Information

Common name: Honey Bee
Scientific name: Apis mellifera

Slim, smooth-looking banded abdomen.

Most managed; some wild colonies in UK.

Classification

Bee TypeHoneybee
StatusCommon
Cuckoo StatusNon-cuckoo
DistributionWidespread
Tail ColourBlack Tip

Keynotes

  • Banding varies from dark to almost orange

  • Males' (Drones') huge eyes meet on head

  • Legs often dangle down when flying

  • If it's buzzing it's probably a Honey bee, if it's got skinny legs it's probably a solitary bee

  • The only UK bee to make honey

Nest Information

  • Usually managed hives; hollow trees, roofs, building cavities

  • Hexagonal, wax cells

  • Fly: all year round, most active March - October

  • 50, 000 + workers

Distribution

  • Found across UK

  • Habitat: most habitats; gardens, open woods, meadows, farmland; don't like dense woods or exposed areas

Castes

QUEEN

No Diagram
No Photo

  1. Hairy eyes

  2. Brown

  3. Banded, long

  4. Black tip

  5. Small pollen baskets

Tail:Black Tip
Thorax:
Abdomen:Banded
Head:Black Head

WORKER

No Diagram
No Photo

  1. Hairy eyes

  2. Brown

  3. Banded

  4. Black tip

  5. Big pollen baskets

Tail:Black Tip
Thorax:
Abdomen:Banded
Head:

MALE

No Diagram
No Photo

  1. Huge eyes

  2. Brown

  3. Banded

  4. Black tip

  5. No pollen baskets

Tail:
Thorax:
Abdomen:
Head:

Flower Preferences

Short tongue. Usually only workers on flowers.

  • cosmos

  • cornflower

  • dandelions

  • ivy

  • fruit trees

  • willows

🌼

Bluebells

Heather

Heather

Calluna vulgaris

Lavender

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Lavandula