Western Honey Bee

The Western Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) is a social and highly recognizable bee in the family Apidae, found in the San Francisco Bay Area.

This species is native to Europe and Africa, and has been introduced to all other continents across the globe except for Antarctica. It has been used for honey and wax production since prehistoric times, and today is the most important pollinator of crops used for human food consumption.

Its flight season is year-round and hives organize themselves in three castes: workers, drones and queens. Workers are the only caste found foraging at flowers, transporting pollen on their hind tibiae. Queens lack pollen-transport structures.

Honey bees nest in large cavities in trees, soil, buildings or managed hive boxes.