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Bees of Zihuatanejo

EPIFAMILY ANTHOPHILA

-Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

-Arthropods (Phylum Arthropoda)

-Hexapods (Subphylum Hexapoda)

-Insects (Class Insecta)

-Winged and Once-winged Insects (Subclass Pterygota)

-Ants, Bees, Wasps, and Sawflies (Order Hymenoptera)

-Narrow-waisted Wasps, Ants, and Bees (Suborder Apocrita)

-Ants, Bees, and Stinging Wasps (Infraorder Aculeata)

-Bees and Apoid Wasps (Superfamily Apoidea)

-Bees (Epifamily Anthophila)

-​Honey Bees, Bumble Bees, and Allies (Family Apidae)

-Apine Bees (Subfamily Apinae)​

-Honey Bees (Tribe Apini)

-Honey Bees (Genus Apis)

-Cavity-nesting Honey Bees (Subgenus Apis)

-Western Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)


Adult honey bees typically measure about 1.2 to 1.5 cm (0.5 to 0.6 inches) in length. They have a robust body covered with fine hairs, which aid in pollen collection. Honey bees are highly social insects living in well-organized colonies or hives. Each colony typically consists of a single queen, many worker bees, and drones (males). Honey bees are crucial pollinators for many crops and wild plants.



Western Honey Bee

Apis mellifera

Range

  • Native to Europe, Africa, and western Asia.

  • Introduced to North America, South America, Australia, and many oceanic islands for honey production and crop pollination.

  • Widespread throughout Mexico, including the Pacific coast of Guerrero and the Zihuatanejo region, where it is common in both natural and agricultural habitats.

Habitat

  • Found in tropical dry forests, tropical rainforests, grasslands, orchards, agricultural fields, gardens, mangroves, urban parks, and residential areas.

  • Wild colonies nest in hollow trees, rock crevices, caves, and other sheltered cavities, while managed colonies are kept in artificial hives.

  • Forages wherever flowering plants are abundant.

Behaviour

  • Highly social, living in colonies that may contain 20,000–60,000 workers, along with a single queen and seasonal drones.

  • Workers communicate the location of food sources using the famous "waggle dance," which conveys both the direction and distance to flowers.

  • Colonies defend their nest cooperatively and may swarm when establishing a new colony.

  • One of the world's most important pollinators, visiting thousands of flowers each day.

Size

  • Worker: 10–15 mm (0.4–0.6 in)

  • Drone: 15–17 mm (0.6–0.7 in)

  • Queen: 18–20 mm (0.7–0.8 in)

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