Quick answer
The honey bee is a social insect that lives in colonies of tens of thousands, built around a single egg-laying queen. Honey bees pollinate a large share of the crops people rely on, make honey from flower nectar, and communicate the location of food through a \
Key takeaway
The honey bee is a social insect that lives in colonies of tens of thousands, built around a single egg-laying queen. Honey bees pollinate a large share of the crops people rely on, make honey from flower nectar, and communicate the location of food through a \\
Overview
The honey bee is a social insect that lives in colonies of tens of thousands, built around a single egg-laying queen. Honey bees pollinate a large share of the crops people rely on, make honey from flower nectar, and communicate the location of food through a \\
Biology
Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) is classified as Insect with conservation status Not Evaluated. Typical weight about 0.0001 kg; lifespan around Workers ~6 weeks; queens 2–5 years.
Ecology
Diet: Nectar and pollen. Habitat: Worldwide wherever flowering plants grow. Movement and social systems reflect those pressures.
People and this species
Learn before you travel or keep related pets. Wild individuals are not toys; captive care needs species-specific husbandry.
Further reading
See the full Honey Bee profile for FAQs, taxonomy, and related guides on this site.
Life in the colony
A honey bee colony is a single tightly organized society. One queen lays all the eggs, thousands of female workers forage, build comb, feed young, and defend the hive, and male drones exist mainly to mate. Tasks shift as a worker ages, from cleaning and nursing inside the hive to foraging outside.
Pollination and honey
As bees move between flowers collecting nectar and pollen, they transfer pollen and fertilize plants. This pollination underpins a large portion of global food crops. Back at the hive, bees convert nectar into honey, a stored food that sustains the colony through times when flowers are scarce.
The waggle dance
Honey bees share the location of good food sources through a remarkable behavior called the waggle dance. A returning forager moves in a figure-eight pattern, and the angle and duration of the central "waggle" run encode the direction and distance of the flowers relative to the sun.
Threats and importance
Honey bees face pressure from habitat loss, pesticides, parasites such as the varroa mite, and disease. Because they pollinate so many crops, their health is closely tied to food security, and beekeepers and researchers work to keep colonies strong.
Research notes
Figures for honey bees (Apis mellifera) come from field studies, museum records, and conservation assessments that do not always agree on exact averages. Prefer ranges over single-point claims, and check whether a source describes wild, captive, or mixed populations.
Practical takeaways
If you encounter honey bees in the wild, prioritise distance and local guidance. If you care for related domestic or captive animals, match diet and housing to species needs rather than generic pet advice. Share accurate status information (Not Evaluated) when discussing conservation.
Sources
FAQs
Honey Bee: Key Facts & Natural History?
The honey bee is a social insect that lives in colonies of tens of thousands, built around a single egg-laying queen. Honey bees pollinate a large share of the crops people rely on, make honey from flower nectar, and communicate the location of food through a \
What is the scientific name of the honey bee?
Apis mellifera
What do honey bees eat?
Nectar and pollen
Where do honey bees live?
Worldwide wherever flowering plants grow
Are honey bees endangered?
Listed here as Not Evaluated. Check IUCN and national lists for the latest assessment.