Apis

The genus Apis refers to a group of social bees, commonly known as honeybees, within the order Hymenoptera. These insects are closely related to wasps but are distinguished by their provision of pollen and honey to their young, and by having branched or feathered hairs to collect pollen.12

Honeybees are crucial pollinators, having co-evolved with flowers. They gather nectar and pollen for food, and in the process, facilitate the cross-pollination of plants, a role far more significant than the honey and wax they produce.1

There are seven species within the Apis genus, with Apis mellifera (the western honeybee) being the most familiar and economically important. Honeybees live in complex social colonies with distinct roles: a queen bee, who is responsible for reproduction; sterile female workers who perform all the labor; and male drones, whose primary role is mating. The care of these bees is known as beekeeping or apiculture.23