Bees Reference Libraries

Apiology is the scientific study of honey bees, a subdiscipline of melittology (the study of all bees), which is a subdiscipline of entomology. Melittology comprises of more than 17,000 species other than the honey bee. Apiology includes apicology, which is the study of honey bee ecology. Honey bees are often chosen as a study group to answer questions on the evolution of social systems....

The bumblebee is a flying insect of the genus Bombus in the family Apidae and a relative of the common honeybee. The bumblebee feeds on nectar and gathers pollen to feed its young. They are beneficial to humans and the plant world alike, and tend to be larger than other members of the bee family. Most bumblebee species are gentle. From this comes their original name: "Humblebee". Bumblebees...

PHOTO CAPTION: Megachile centuncularis (L.) a European leaf-cutter bee, cutting a Wisteria leaf. Photo taken by Keith Edkins The Megachilidae are a family of mainly solitary bees. They carry pollen in specialized structures called scopae. These scopae are located under the abdomen, rather than on the hind legs like in the honey bee. Megachilidae are commonly known as mason and leaf cutter...

Carpenter bees (Xylocopinae subfamily) are considered to be important pollinators, especially of open-faced flowers, though they are also known to "rob" nectar by boring holes in the sides of flowers with deep corollas (thus not accomplishing pollination). The smaller species tunnel into pithy stems to build their nests. Other species bore holes in wood and can become pests in wood...

Halictidae is a family of the order Hymenoptera consisting of small to midsize bees which are usually dark-colored and often metallic. Several species are all or partly green and a few are red. Most halictids nest in the ground. They are commonly referred to as halictid bees or sweat bees (especially the smaller, black species), which seem attracted to perspiration and, when pinched, can...

Bees (Apoidea superfamily) are flying insects closely related to wasps and ants. They are adapted for feeding on nectar, and play an important role in pollinating flowering plants, and are called pollinators. Bees have a long proboscis that they use in order to obtain the nectar from flowers. Bees have antennae made up of thirteen segments in males and twelve in females. They have two pairs of...