Western honey bee

Scientific Name: Apis mellifera

Order & Family: Order: Hymenoptera, Family: Apidae

Size: 10 to 15 mm for worker bees, which are most commonly seen.

Found in varied environments including forests, meadows, and gardens worldwide; they typically live in managed hives or hollow trees.

Adults and larvae feed on nectar and pollen collected from a wide variety of flowering plants.

Social insects living in large colonies headed by a single queen; they communicate the location of food sources via the waggle dance.

Crucial pollinators for ecosystems and agriculture; they can sting if threatened, which may cause allergic reactions in some individuals.

Identified on: 5/25/2026