AnimaliaHighest rank in taxonomy. Groups all life into domains: Animalia, Plantae, Fungi, etc.IUCN DDInternational Union for Conservation of Nature — the world authority on species extinction risk, using standardized criteria. — Data Deficient — not enough data to make a reliable assessment of extinction risk.In ProgressCurrent stage of this record in the editorial review workflow. Recent Sighting
Apis mellifera
Western Honey Bee
Linnaeus, 1758
Detailed Texts Multi-lang
A highly recognizable eusocial insect with a striped black and amber-yellow abdomen, a dense coat of fine hairs on the thorax, specialized pollen-carrying structures on its hind legs, and a functional barbed stinger used strictly for self-defense.
Added by
Anonymous Curator
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Under Review
Last modified by
Julia Trouin
TaxonomyBiological classification ranks placing this species within the tree of life, from Kingdom down to Genus.
PhylumRank below Kingdom. Groups organisms sharing a fundamental body plan (e.g., Chordata = vertebrates and some invertebrates).Arthropoda
ClassRank below Phylum. Subdivides by structural traits (e.g., Mammalia, Aves, Reptilia, Insecta).Insecta
OrderRank below Class. Groups related families sharing common ancestry (e.g., Carnivora, Primates).Hymenoptera
FamilyRank below Order. Groups closely related genera (e.g., Felidae = cats, Canidae = dogs).Apidae
GenusRank just above Species. The first word in the two-part binomial scientific name.Apis
Taxonomic AuthorityThe scientist who first formally described and published this species, followed by the year of publication.Linnaeus, 1758
Record Completeness
96%Coming soon
Ecology & StatusHow this species lives: habitat preferences, diet, behavior, population status, and role in its ecosystem.
OriginWhether the species is native (evolved here), endemic (found only here), or introduced by human activity.
Introduced
Population TrendDirection of change in population size over time: increasing, stable, decreasing, or unknown.
Unknown
Breeding SeasonTime of year when this species typically reproduces or flowers.
Year Round
Trophic RolePosition in the food chain: producer, herbivore, carnivore, omnivore, decomposer, or parasite.
Herbivore
Recent SightingsWhether this species has been observed in the wild in Costa Rica within recent years.
Yes
Habitat SummaryOverview of the specific ecosystems and environments where this species is found in Costa Rica. Multi-lang
Extremely adaptable, occupying meadows, open woodlands, agricultural fields, and urban areas worldwide. Natural wild nests are established inside protected cavities like hollow trees, rock fissures, and artificial wooden hives built by humans.BehaviourDaily activity patterns, movement, territory use, foraging style, and seasonal behavioral changes. Multi-lang
Strictly diurnal social foragers. Workers divide internal hive tasks by age, transitioning from cleaning and nurse duties to wax-building and outdoor foraging, while constantly monitoring seasonal thermal shifts.Social ActivitySocial structure: whether the species is solitary, paired, or colonial; hierarchy and communication. Multi-lang
Exhibit extreme complex eusociality. Live in highly organized structural colonies ranging from 20,000 to over 60,000 corporate individuals managed under individual queen, worker, and seasonal drone castes.Feeding GuildWhat the species eats, how it forages or hunts, and its role as a consumer in the food web. Multi-lang
Diurnal obligate herbivore/nectarivore/palynivore.Trophic Chain DetailsSpecific interactions in local food webs: prey species, predators, competitors, and scavengers. Multi-lang
Consume nectar for energy and pollen for protein, functioning as global structural generalist plant pollinators. They are actively preyed upon by insectivorous birds, bears, skunks, and wasps.Reproductive BehaviourMating strategies, courtship displays, nesting or spawning behavior, and parental care. Multi-lang
Reproduction occurs via colony swarming, triggered when a maternal queen leaves with half the workforce. Virgin queens execute aerial matings at drone congregation areas, storing lifetimes of sperm cells.Physical Measures
Length (cm)
1.1 - 2.0 cm
Weight (Grams)
0.09 g - 0.3 g
Offspring per cycleTypical number of young (live births, eggs, or seeds) produced by one adult in a single reproductive event or breeding season.10000 - 50000
Sexual DimorphismObservable physical differences between males and females of the same species (e.g., size, coloration, features).Yes
Lifespan
Sexual MaturityAge at which the individual becomes capable of reproducing for the first time.
12 - 14 Days
Gestation / IncubationDuration from fertilization to birth (mammals) or to hatching (egg-laying species).
3
Lifespan EstimatedExpected duration of life from birth to natural death under wild conditions.
Males1 - 2 Months
Females1 - 60 Months
Sexual DimorphismPhysical differences in size, coloration, or morphology between males and females of this species.
Males Multi-lang
Drones (males) are structurally larger and broader than workers, featuring massive adjacent compound eyes tailored for aerial flight tracking, larger wings, and a complete absence of an anatomical stinger.
Females Multi-lang
Workers are smallest, carrying functional hind pollen corbiculae. Queens are exceptionally elongated with highly extended shiny abdomens, fully clear of pollen baskets, specialized for ongoing lifetime egg-laying.
Evolutionary AdaptationsInherited traits and behaviors that improve the species' survival and reproduction in its specific environment. Multi-lang
Possess complex compound eyes and specialized ultraviolet vision capabilities that allow them to spot intricate nectar patterns on flowering plants invisible to humans.
The evolutionary development of barbed stingers linked directly to venom sacs optimizes structural defense against predatory nest intruders, sacrificing the individual for the hive colony.
Main ThreatsDocumented pressures reducing the population: habitat loss, hunting, disease, climate change, and invasive species. Multi-lang
Widespread exposure to aggressive systemic agricultural chemical pesticides, particularly neonicotinoids, causing acute chemical disorientation and critical colony collapse disorder.
Severe mortality rates driven by invasive biological parasites, primarily Varroa destructor mites, which vector lethal viruses through vulnerable developmental brood cycles.
Interesting FactsSurprising or notable facts that highlight what makes this species unique or ecologically important. Multi-lang
They perform an intricate aerodynamic choreographic structural communication known as the 'waggle dance' to map out and convey precise geometric flight paths to rich environmental foraging areas.