There are an estimated 30,000 bee species worldwide. The vast majority of these species are solitary and do not produce honey or large nests with young, and therefore do not exhibit colony defense (Buchmann, 2005).
When one typically thinks of a bee, the species that typically comes to mind is the western honeybee, Apis mellifera. The genus Apis is comprised of eight species. Apis mellifera is comprised of 24 different races. The most common commercial production race is Apis mellifera ligustica, commonly referred to as Italians. This race is known for its high rate of honey production and its gentle nature, making it a favorite in apiaries, commercial bee production facilities.
 Italian
bee working in its hive. Photo by Zach Huang. |
The majority of bees that one sees outside of a hive are workers (sterile females). A typical honeybee colony consists of 50,000-60,000 sterile workers, 500 to 1000 drones (fertile males) and one queen, the only fertile female in the colony and mother of the entire population of the hive (Bishop, 2005).
Some people confuse bees with wasps. Bees tend to be vegetarians and are generally hairy, whereas wasps tend to be carnivorous and hairless (Buchmann, 2005). The vast majority of BeeSpace activities center around the western honeybee, Apis mellifera.
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