Apis - WaspWeb

Apis Linnaeus (Honey bees of Africa & Madagascar)

Apis Linnaeus, 1758. Type species: Apis mellifera Linnaeus, 1758

Apis mellifera Linnaeus, 1758

Distribution	Worldwide (native to Old World, but introduced to New World: North & South America).
Biology	Social, constructing wax combs for storage of pollen and honey and raising brood. Basal species construct single exposed combs, while more derived species, such as Apis mellifera construct multiple combs hidden in cavities.
References	Eardley, C & Urban, R. 2010. Catalogue of Afrotropical bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Apiformes). Zootaxa 2455: 1-548. Eardley, C, Finnamore, A.T. & Michener, C.D. 1993. Superfamily Apoidea (pp. 279-357). In GOULET, H. & HUBER, J. (eds). Hymenoptera of the World: an identification guide to families. Research Branch, Agriculture Canada, Ottawa, Canada, 668 pp. Michener, C.D. 2000. The Bees of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press. 953 pp. Picker, M., Griffiths, C & Weaving, A. 2002. Field Guide to Insects of South Africa. Struik Publishers, Cape Town.
Credits	Photographs © Simon van Noort (Iziko Museums of South Africa); colony photograph © Mike Picker & Charles Griffiths (University of Cape Town) (published in Struik's Field Guide to Insects of South Africa).