Here’s a detailed overview of the Western honey bee (Apis mellifera), one of the world’s most important pollinators and perhaps the best-known insect to humans:

**Western Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)**

Taxonomy & Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Apidae
Genus: Apis
Species: A. mellifera

General Description

The Western honey bee is a highly social insect, famous for its honey production and complex colonies. It has been domesticated for thousands of years and is now found worldwide.

Size: Workers 12–15 mm; queens 18–20 mm; drones 15–17 mm.
Coloration: Generally golden-brown with black stripes, though coloration varies by subspecies.
Body Structure:
- Hairy thorax, smooth abdomen with alternating dark and light bands
- Proboscis adapted for nectar feeding
- Hind legs of workers have pollen baskets (corbiculae) for transporting pollen
Caste System:
- Workers – sterile females, perform foraging, nursing, cleaning, and hive defense
- Drones – males, their only role is to mate with virgin queens
- Queen – fertile female, sole egg-layer in the colony

Behavior & Lifestyle

Social Structure: Lives in highly organized colonies of 20,000–80,000 individuals.
Communication:
- Waggle dance to indicate direction and distance of food sources
- Round dance for nearby nectar sources
Defense: Workers can sting vertebrates, but usually die afterward due to their barbed stinger.
Lifespan:
- Workers: ~6 weeks in summer, up to 6 months in winter
- Drones: ~2 months (die after mating or expelled before winter)
- Queen: 2–5 years, sometimes longer

Diet

Adults: Nectar (energy) and pollen (protein).
Larvae: Fed by workers with a mixture of pollen, nectar, and glandular secretions (royal jelly for queens).
Honey: Produced from concentrated nectar, serves as colony’s food reserve.

Habitat

Natural habitats include woodlands, meadows, and savannas, but due to domestication, they are found in almost every environment where flowering plants grow.
Wild colonies often nest in hollow trees, rock crevices, or other sheltered cavities.

Geographic Range

Native: Africa, Europe, western and central Asia.
Introduced: Worldwide through human activity; now present on every continent except Antarctica.
Subspecies: Over 20 recognized, including A. m. ligustica (Italian), A. m. carnica (Carniolan), A. m. mellifera (dark European), and A. m. scutellata (Africanized “killer bee” hybrids in the Americas).

Reproduction & Colony Cycle

Swarming: The colony reproduces by swarming—half the colony and the old queen leave to start a new nest while a new queen emerges in the old hive.
Mating: Queens mate in flight with multiple drones (polyandry).
Brood Development:
- Egg → larva → pupa → adult
- Worker development: 21 days; Drone: 24 days; Queen: 16 days

Ecological Role

Pollination: One of the most important pollinators globally, essential for both wild plants and crops.
Biodiversity Support: Maintains ecosystems by enabling seed and fruit production.
Food Source: Prey for birds, mammals, and other insects.

Special Adaptations

Pollen baskets (corbiculae): Specialized structures for carrying pollen.
Sophisticated communication system: Dance language unique among invertebrates.
Thermoregulation: Can cluster and vibrate muscles to maintain hive temperature in winter.

Conservation & Threats

IUCN Status: Not globally threatened, but populations face pressure.
Major Threats:
- Parasites: Varroa mite (Varroa destructor), Nosema fungi
- Pesticides: Neonicotinoids linked to bee decline
- Diseases: Viruses spread by mites (e.g., deformed wing virus)
- Habitat loss and reduction of floral diversity
- Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD): Sudden disappearance of worker bees, complex causes
Conservation Measures: Integrated pest management, reduced pesticide use, habitat restoration, and support for wild pollinators.

Interesting Facts

A single bee produces only about 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime.
Colonies can regulate hive temperature between 34–36 °C, crucial for brood survival.
Bees can recognize human faces, a rare ability among insects.
Honey from different plants varies in flavor, color, and medicinal properties.