Honey Bees

Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Apidae
Scientific Name: Apis mellifera Linnaeus
Color: Predominantly golden-yellow with brown bands
Legs: Six
Shape: Oval; bee shape
Size: 1/2-5/8"
Antennae: Yes
Flight: Yes

Honey bees are social insects found all over the world. They are an extremely important beneficial insect because of their role in pollination. Honey bees pollinate more than 100 crops in the U.S. Honeybees can be found in All 50 States.

Habits
Honey bees are active pollinators, and produce honey which feeds their young in colder months. The honey bee is the only social insect whose colony can survive many years.

Habitat
Honey bees produce honey from pollen and nectar of the plants they pollinate. They store the honey in honeycombs in their nests. They often build their nests in tree crevices, but will occasionally build nests in attics or chimneys. A mature colony may contain 20,000-80,000 individuals.

Threats
Honey bees are not aggressive. Honey bees do sting, but they only sting once. The sting can be extremely painful if the stinger is not immediately removed from the sting. Persons allergic to insect stings will have a more severe reaction.

Control
Honey bees should be addressed by a professional. Removal of a honey bee nest and the honey product can be very messy. Because honey bee colonies are so large, only a pest control professional or experienced beekeeper can safely remove a honey bee nest.

(Source: National Pest Management Association, et. al.)