[Pest Profile] Honey Bee

Order/Family: Hymenoptera/Apidae

Scientific Name: Apis mellifera Linnaeus

Description

Honey bees have three castes in their colonies: workers, queens and drones. These insects have a fuzzy yellow-brown to black appearance because they are covered with fine hairs. The abdomen has a striped appearance. They have two pairs of wings, the hind pair shorter than the front pair. The workers have a barbed stinger at the end of their abdomen that is used against anything that threatens the colony.

The back pair of legs is modified for the collection and transport of pollen. Honey bees have a tongue-like mouthpart that allows them to collect nectar in flowers.

Biology

The queen is the only fertile female; she produces all of the eggs for the colony. Drones serve only to fertilize the queens and are driven off by the workers after they have served that purpose. Workers live five to seven weeks during the summer.

Habits

Honey bees are social insects that live in the colony or hive with as many as 20,000 to 80,000 workers. Workers produce honey and fashion honey comb from wax they secrete. The queen and all the bee larvae are fed and cared for by young workers. Honey bees are not naturally aggressive; however, if the colony is threatened they will sting. Honey bees swarm when the queen begins to fail or the colony is too large. Swarms often are seen on a tree branch. The swarm lasts 24 to 48 hours and then moves to a sheltered environment, e.g., hollow tree, bee hive, hollow wall, attic, etc.

Control

If a honey bee colony is established within the wall of a structure, there are two control options: the living colony can be removed or killed. If the decision is made to remove a living colony, it is best to work with an experienced beekeeper who will help remove the bees safely. Removal of a colony within a structure may take several weeks and frequently the building’s occupants are not willing to wait that long. Because native honey bee colonies are rapidly declining, killing the colony should be avoided if possible.

Only if necessary, the colony can be killed by applying residual insecticide dust or wettable powder formulations around the entrance to the colony. The entrance of the nest should be left open so that the bees are able to leave the nest and die. Once the colony has been killed, the wall should be opened to remove the honey comb and developing larvae, which prevents the development of secondary pest problems, i.e., wax moths, dermestids and other scavengers.

UP CLOSE

• Honey bee workers are 1/2- to 5/8-inch long, have well developed heads with two short antennae and large eyes

• Queen bees are the largest member of the colony, measuring from 5/8- to 3/4-inch long and, except for their size, look like the workers

• Drones are about 5/8-inch long and much stouter and darker than workers or the queen

• Honey bee queens are capable of producing 1,000 to 2,000 eggs per day

• The entire honey bee population overwinters