Photo: Ivar Leidus / CC BY-SA 4.0
Apis mellifera
Western Honey Bee
The Western Honey Bee is the only highly eusocial bee in Central Europe, with perennial colonies consisting of a single queen, up to 80,000 workers, and seasonal drones. It nests in cavities such as hollow trees and rock crevices, building vertical wax combs. Widely kept by beekeepers across Switzerland, it also occurs in feral colonies in forests and buildings and is a generalist pollinator of immense agricultural and ecological significance. Swiss Red List: Not Evaluated (NE).
Species Facts
- Size
- 11–15 mm
- Flight Period
- March to October
- Nesting
- Cavities
- Specialization
- Generalist
- Abundance
- Very common
- Family
- Apidae
External Sources
This data has been cross-referenced with national sources:
Data Source & Copyright
| Category | Source / Author | License |
|---|---|---|
| Photo | Ivar Leidus | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
| Taxonomy & Distribution | InfoFauna Switzerland | Public data |
| Global Distribution | GBIF | CC BY 4.0 |
Data Quality
High Quality Last audit: 2026-05-22
Completeness: 80%
✓Photo exists✓Traits consistent✓Description quality✗Red List referenced✓Attribution verified
Confidence: 83%
IdentifiabilityHighImage confidenceMediumImage qualityHighTrait coherenceHigh
Red List status missing from description
