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Ellis, (used with permission).ĭrones are the male caste of honey bees. An unmarked queen European honey bee, Apis mellifera Linnaeus (left), and a queen who has been marked with a small dab of paint (right) on comb. Consequently, she does not die when she uses it.įigure 4. The queen also has a stinger but its barbs are reduced. However, the queen has a longer and plumper abdomen than does a worker. Her head and thorax are similar in size to that of the worker. 4) is the only reproductive female in the colony during normal circumstances (some workers can lay unfertilized male eggs in the absence of a queen). Wax scale being produced from the underside of a worker European honey bee’s, Apis mellifera Linnaeus, abdomen. Worker European honey bee, Apis mellifera Linnaeus, with pollen stored in the corbicula of both hind legs. This results in the worker bee’s death.įigure 2. Workers have a barbed stinger that is torn, with the poison sac, from the end of their abdomen when they deploy the sting into a tough-skinned victim. The scales are used to construct the wax comb within the colony ( Fig. Worker honey bees produce wax scales on the underside of their abdomen. 2) specially designed to carry large quantities of pollen back to the colony. Both hind legs of a worker honey bee have a corbicula (pollen basket Fig. They are the smallest in physical size of the three castes and their bodies are specialized for pollen and nectar collection. Worker honey bees are non-reproductive females. Female larvae fed a rich diet of royal jelly, pollen, and nectar develop into queens. Female larvae that are fed the standard diet of pollen, nectar, and brood food become adult workers. Unfertilized eggs (no paternal genetic contribution) develop into drones (males), and fertilized eggs (both maternal and paternal genetic contribution) develop into females. Like all Hymenopterans, honey bees have haplo-diploid sex determination. Presently, European honey bees are naturalized on all continents except Antarctica. Distribution (Back to Top)Įuropean races of Apis mellifera have been spread extensively beyond its natural range. Since that time, worldwide research efforts have focused on improving colony health and management techniques, and identifying possible causes of colony collapse disorder. Public interest and participation in honey bee management (beekeeping) has increased since 2006 when the acute disappearance of worker bees from a colony was described as colony collapse disorder (CCD). Mortensen, Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida. European honey bees, Apis mellifera Linnaeus, on comb in a colony. More recently (late 1950s), a subspecies of African honey bee, Apis mellifera scutellata Lepeletier, that can interbreed with European subspecies was introduced into the Americas.įigure 1. Introduction of these subspecies dates back to early American settlers in 1622. 1) represent a complex of several interbreeding European subspecies including Apis mellifera ligustica Spinola, Apis mellifera carnica Pollmann, Apis mellifera mellifera Linnaeus, Apis mellifera causcasia Pollmann, and Apis mellifera iberiensis Engel. In the United States, “European” honey bees ( Fig. However, subspecies of the western honey bee have been spread extensively beyond their natural range due to economic benefits related to pollination and honey production. This species has been subdivided into at least 20 recognized subspecies (or races), none of which are native to the Americas. The western honey bee, Apis mellifera Linnaeus, naturally occurs in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Scientific name: Apis mellifera and subspecies Linnaeus (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Apidae) Introduction - Distribution - Description - Biology - Life Cycle - Economic Impact - Management - Selected References Introduction (Back to Top)