Apis is a genus of eusocial flying insects in the bee family Apidae; only members of this genus are true honey bees. Eight extant species are recognized, comprising 43 total subspecies, though historically seven to eleven species have been recognized by different authorities. Honey bees build perennial nests of hexagonal wax cells within cavities, live in large colonies and produce honey by regurgitating digested carbohydrates as surplus food storage; all species are native to mainland Afro-Eurasia, though the western honey bee has been spread by humans to a cosmopolitan distribution on every continent except Antarctica, introduced to South America in the 16th century, North America in the 17th and Australia in the 19th.
Facts
Taxonomic Rank Scientific Name Member Species/Taxa Count Geographic DistributionNative to mainland Afro-Eurasia; now has a cosmopolitan distribution across every continent except Antarctica 1 Defining CharacteristicsBuild perennial nests of hexagonal wax cells within cavities and produce honey by regurgitating digested carbohydrates as surplus food storage 1 Identification
Distinguishing AppearanceDistinguished from other bee species by the small barbs on the sting 1 Classification
Living or Extinct Connections
Parent Taxon Of
Source Wikidata: Apis cerana
Source Wikidata: Apis dorsata
Source Wikidata: Apis laboriosa
Source Wikidata: Apis mellifera cecropia
Source Apis nigrocincta (Wikipedia)
Source Wikidata: European dark bee
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Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Sources
1. Honey bee (Apis) - Wikipedia
Lead section, opening sentence, genus classification
A honey bee (also spelled honeybee) is a eusocial flying insect from the genus Apis of the largest bee family, Apidae.
Lead section, opening sentence, genus name
A honey bee (also spelled honeybee) is a eusocial flying insect from the genus Apis of the largest bee family, Apidae.
Species section, species count sentence
only eight extant species of honey bee are recognized, with a total of 43 subspecies
Origin, systematics, and distribution section
resulting in the current cosmopolitan distribution of honey bees in all continents except Antarctica
Lead section, nest-building sentence
Honey bees are known for their construction of perennial nests within cavities (i.e. beehives) containing hexagonal cells made of secreted wax
Defense section, sting sentence
distinguished from all other bee species by the possession of small barbs on the sting
View the Source2. Wikidata (taxon extant/extinct status)
Wikimedia Foundation / Wikidata contributorsQ102857, descriptionView the Source Wikidata: Apis
Wikidata Q102857, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source Wikidata: European dark bee
Parent Taxon Of: European dark bee, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source Wikidata: Apis dorsata
Parent Taxon Of: Apis dorsata, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source Wikidata: Apis laboriosa
Parent Taxon Of: Apis laboriosa, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source Wikidata: Apis cerana
Parent Taxon Of: Apis cerana, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source Wikidata: Apis mellifera cecropia
Parent Taxon Of: Apis mellifera cecropia, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source Apis nigrocincta (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Apis nigrocincta, TaxoboxQuote, Parent Taxon Of: Apis nigrocincta, Taxobox
Wikipedia taxobox field: genus = Apis
Honey bee (Wikipedia)
In Group: Bee Genera, LeadQuote, In Group: Bee Genera, Lead
A honey bee (also spelled honeybee) is a eusocial flying insect from the genus Apis of the largest bee family, Apidae.
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