The honey bee was one of the first domesticated insects and is the primary species kept by beekeepers for honey production and pollination services. Thanks to their domestication, they can be found on every continent except Antarctica and are the single most important pollinator for agriculture around the world. These insects are “eusocial,” creating colonies with a single fertile female (queen), tens of thousands of non-reproductive females (the workers), and a small number of fertile males (or drones). The average population of a healthy hive in midsummer may be as high as 40,000 to 80,000 bees.
Size: 12 to 16 mm (1/2 to 5/8 in)
Photo by: Glenn Marangelo on 6/9/22 in Missoula, MT