Honey bee
Apis mellifera
Conservation status: Common
When to see: March to September. They may venture out on sunny winter days if the temperature rises above 7°C
About
In their natural habitat, honeybees reside in wooded areas and build impressive hives made of wax honeycombs. The queen bee is responsible for egg laying while the workers attend to the young, creating a bustling bee nursery. Each year a new queen will either take over her mother’s duties or depart to establish a new colony. A single beehive can house up to 50,000 individuals. During winter, the bees go into survival mode expelling the drones, whilst workers huddle together to maintain warmth, and larvae rely on the stored pollen and honey. Come spring, a new generation of bees emerges, ready to continue the cycle. Honeybees are fascinating insects and vital pollinators with a complex social system, and remarkable survival tactics make for an intriguing creature.
| See also different: | Garden bees & wasps |
