Western Honey Bee

Apis mellifera

The western honey bee or European honey bee (Apis mellifera) is the most common of the 7–12 species of honey bee worldwide. The genus name Apis is Latin for "bee", and mellifera is the Latin for "honey-bearing", referring to the species' production of honey for the winter. Honeybees are central-place foragers and may forage several kilometers from their hive.