Common Name:
Honey Bee
Scientific Name:
Apis mellifera
Unique Qualities:
The bees are 10-20 mm with a hairy, honey-coloured appearance. They have a small waist with three black lines and a black stinger. Honey bees are a very helpful to humans, pollinating crops and producing honey and wax.
Can be Seen:
The honey bee was introduced across southern Canada. They can also be found as far south as South America and in Europe and Asia where they are an indigenous species.
Likes to Hang Out:
They are found in gardens, orchards, and meadows where flowers are abundant. The honey bee colony lives in a hive made of wax. The hive is divided into small hexagonal compartments, where food is stored and eggs are laid.
Likes to Eat:
Adults feed on pollen and nectar, while larvae are fed pollen in the hive. When a bee returns from an area with lots of flowers, it performs a special dance for the hive. The dance tells the other bees exactly where the flowers are.
Status:
The honey bee is not threatened in Canada. Large populations can be found across its range.
