Identidad taxonómica

Scientific name
Apis mellifera Linnaeus, 1758
Canonical name: The scientific name without its authorship or date, for example Zea mays instead of Zea mays L.
Apis mellifera
Authorship: The author or authors credited with publishing the scientific name. It is written after the name, sometimes with the year, for example L. (Linnaeus) in Zea mays L. An author in parentheses first published the name in another genus or rank.
Linnaeus, 1758
Common names
European Honey Bee, Western Honey Bee, Africanized honey bee, Domestic Honey Bee, Drone-bee, Honey Bee, Killer Bee, Honeybee
Names in other languages (93)Aamoo, Abeille domestique, Abeille domestique, Abeille européenne, Abeille mellifère, Mouche à miel, Abeille européenne, Abeille à miel, Abeja doméstica europea, Abeja melífera, Abeja melífera europea, Abelha-do-mel, Abelha-doméstica, Abelha-europeia, Abella de la Mel Europea, Abella de la mel, Abella do mel, Afrikaanse honingbij, Albină, Ape europea, Ava, Awawa baarate, Bal arısı, Bleta, Eiropas medus bite, Eirópäischer Imp, Europeisk honningbie, Europese honingbij, Europäische Honigbiene, Gwenyn Mêl Orllewinol, Heuningby, Honigbiene, Honingbij, Honningbi, Hunangsbý, Hunnegbei, Háziméh, Hönangim, Italiana, Lebah, Lebah madu, Medonosna pčela, Medonosna čebela, Medus bite, Meemesilane, Mehiläinen, Mielabelo, Nalo-meli, Naminė bitė, Nwowa, Nyawan, Nyuki-asali, Pi honi, Pszczoła miodna, Rietumu medus bite, Tawon undhuhan, Vakarinė medunešė bitė, Westelijke honingbij, Westliche Honigbiene, Zapadna medonosna pčela, abeicha, honningbie, honungsbi, seillean-dìomhain, seillean-lunndach, seillean-meala, seillean-mil, seilleanan-dìomhain, seilleanan-lunndach, seilleanan-meala, tambi, tarhamehiläinen, thuzhomid, včela medonosná, zahodna medonosna čebela, Μέλισσα, Бал аары, Бал арасы, Бджола медоносна, Европейска медоносна пчела, Занбӯри асал, Меданосная пчала, Медоносна пчела, Медоносная пчела, Մեղրատու մեղու, דבורת הדבש, زنبور عسل, نحل العسل الغربي, தேனீ, යුරෝපීය මී මැස්සා, ผึ้งพันธุ์, セイヨウミツバチ, 意大利蜂, 西方蜜蜂, 꿀벌, 양봉꿀벌
Kingdom: One of the broadest ranks of biological classification. It groups organisms that share very basic features, for example plants (Plantae), animals (Animalia) or fungi (Fungi).
Animalia
Phylum: Rank below kingdom that groups organisms with a shared general body plan, for example chordates (Chordata), arthropods (Arthropoda) or vascular plants (Tracheophyta). In botany the same rank is also called division.
Arthropoda
Class: Rank below phylum, for example mammals (Mammalia), birds (Aves), insects (Insecta) or monocot plants such as grasses and orchids (Liliopsida).
Insecta
Order: Rank below class that groups related families, for example grasses and their relatives (Poales) or bats (Chiroptera).
Hymenoptera
Family: Rank below order that groups related genera. Family names usually end in -aceae in botany (for example Poaceae, the grass family) and in -idae in zoology (for example Felidae, the cat family).
Apidae
Genus: Rank that groups closely related species. Its name is the first word of a species' scientific name and starts with a capital letter, for example Zea in Zea mays.
Apis
Specific epithet: The second word of a species' scientific name. On its own it does not name the species: it always goes with the genus, for example mays in Zea mays.
mellifera
Taxonomic rank: The level a name occupies in the hierarchy of biological classification, such as kingdom, family, genus, species or subspecies.
species
Reference species
Apis mellifera
Taxonomic status: Whether the taxonomic catalogue the record comes from currently accepts this name for the organism, or treats it as a synonym of another accepted name or as doubtful.
accepted name

Photos and conservation status

IUCN Red List category: The extinction-risk category that the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) assigns to a species on its Red List. EX Extinct: there is no reasonable doubt that the last individual has died. EW Extinct in the wild: it survives only in cultivation, in captivity or as a population far outside its past range. CR Critically endangered, EN Endangered and VU Vulnerable: the three threatened categories, from an extremely high to a high risk of extinction in the wild. NT Near threatened: close to qualifying as threatened. LC Least concern: evaluated and not threatened. DD Data deficient: there is not enough information to assess its risk. NE Not evaluated: not yet assessed against the criteria. It describes the risk of the species worldwide, not its situation in a project's area.
Not evaluated (NE)
Source: IUCN Red List via GBIF, queried on 2026-10-13 11:21.
Photo of Apis mellifera Linnaeus, 1758
Photo: Vince Hale · CC0 1.0 · View original image · Original observation
Photo of Apis mellifera Linnaeus, 1758
Photo: Louis Aureglia · CC BY 4.0 · View original image · Original observation
Photo of Apis mellifera Linnaeus, 1758
Photo: Maria Luisa Bravo Alarcon · CC BY 4.0 · View original image · Original observation
Photo of Apis mellifera Linnaeus, 1758
Photo: Aidan Tsoumbakos · CC BY 4.0 · View original image · Original observation
Photo of Apis mellifera Linnaeus, 1758
Photo: Karen McCabe · CC0 1.0 · View original image · Original observation
Photo of Apis mellifera Linnaeus, 1758
Photo: Michael Tidwell · CC BY 4.0 · View original image · Original observation

Research-grade iNaturalist observations via GBIF, CC0 or CC BY licences only, queried on 2026-10-13 11:21.

Interacciones documentadas

GloBI says it is documented somewhere in the world. Biolitica answers whether it could happen here.

A documented interaction means it was recorded somewhere in the world. It does not mean it occurs here.

Types shown: 12 of 20 visits the flowers of × interacts with (this species is the record's origin) × eats × pollinates × visits × interacts with (this species is the record's destination) × is preyed upon by × has as a host × is eaten by × is a mutualist of × has its flowers visited by × is a host of × 8 more types with data for this species

Blocks that do not sit under a navigation concept heading keep the source's own term: no navigation concept has been assigned to them yet.

Flower visit

visits the flowers of more than 1824 organisms

The authority declares no effect on this species for this term: neither that it harms it nor that it benefits it. Visiting a flower is not pollinating it. «Pollinates» is a different term and a different block, and merging the two is the measured defect that turned ~88 shared «pollinators» into birds and primates.

Organism Reads as Studies Where it was documented Actions
Kenya Clover Trifolium repens Fabaceae visits the flowers of 1266 not compared
goldenrod Solidago Asteraceae visits the flowers of 1045 not compared Not a modelling unit: the source publishes it at genus level.
ogräsmaskrosor Taraxacum Asteraceae visits the flowers of 1007 not compared Not a modelling unit: the source publishes it at genus level.
Bloodflower Asclepias syriaca Apocynaceae visits the flowers of 610 not compared
Showing 4 of 1824, by number of studies See more of this type

has its flowers visited by more than 22 organisms

The authority declares no effect on this species for this term: neither that it harms it nor that it benefits it. Visiting a flower is not pollinating it. «Pollinates» is a different term and a different block, and merging the two is the measured defect that turned ~88 shared «pollinators» into birds and primates.

Organism Reads as Studies Where it was documented Actions
European Honey Bee Apis mellifera Apidae has its flowers visited by 169 not compared
Anthophila Choreutidae has its flowers visited by 8 not compared Not a modelling unit: the source publishes it at genus level.
Rosemary Salvia rosmarinus has its flowers visited by 4 not compared
Apis Apidae has its flowers visited by 3 not compared Not a modelling unit: the source publishes it at genus level.
Showing 4 of 22, by number of studies See more of this type

interacts with more than 800 organisms

The authority declares no effect on this species for this term: neither that it harms it nor that it benefits it.

Organism Reads as Studies Where it was documented Actions
Cherry Prunus Rosaceae interacts with 3234 not compared Not a modelling unit: the source publishes it at genus level.
apple Malus Rosaceae interacts with 2276 not compared Not a modelling unit: the source publishes it at genus level.
tamarisk Tamarix Tamaricaceae interacts with 1120 not compared Not a modelling unit: the source publishes it at genus level.
White Melilot Melilotus albus Fabaceae interacts with 450 not compared
Showing 4 of 800, by number of studies See more of this type

eats more than 744 organisms

This term declares that the organism benefits this species.

Organism Reads as Studies Where it was documented Actions
Rosemary Salvia rosmarinus eats 643 not compared
Kenya Clover Trifolium repens Fabaceae eats 509 not compared
Lavender Lavandula Lamiaceae eats 323 not compared Not a modelling unit: the source publishes it at genus level.
sage Salvia Lamiaceae eats 269 not compared Not a modelling unit: the source publishes it at genus level.
Showing 4 of 744, by number of studies See more of this type

Pollination

pollinates more than 646 organisms

The authority declares no effect on this species for this term: neither that it harms it nor that it benefits it. «Visits the flowers of» is a different term and a different block: a visitor is not a pollinator, and merging the two is the measured defect that turned ~88 shared «pollinators» into birds and primates.

Organism Reads as Studies Where it was documented Actions
Kenya Clover Trifolium repens Fabaceae pollinates 19 not compared
Common Bird's-foot-trefoil Lotus corniculatus Fabaceae pollinates 17 not compared
Bloodflower Asclepias syriaca Apocynaceae pollinates 15 not compared
Creeping Thistle Cirsium arvense Asteraceae pollinates 12 not compared
Showing 4 of 646, by number of studies See more of this type

visits more than 403 organisms

The authority declares no effect on this species for this term: neither that it harms it nor that it benefits it.

Organism Reads as Studies Where it was documented Actions
ogräsmaskrosor Taraxacum Asteraceae visits 358 not compared Not a modelling unit: the source publishes it at genus level.
Green Alkanet Pentaglottis sempervirens Boraginaceae visits 123 not compared
goldenrod Solidago Asteraceae visits 96 not compared Not a modelling unit: the source publishes it at genus level.
Blunt Mountain-mint Pycnanthemum muticum Lamiaceae visits 82 not compared
Showing 4 of 403, by number of studies See more of this type

interacts with more than 233 organisms

The authority declares no effect on this species for this term: neither that it harms it nor that it benefits it.

Organism Reads as Studies Where it was documented Actions
European Honey Bee Apis mellifera Apidae interacts with 51 not compared
Asian Hornet Vespa velutina Vespidae interacts with 51 not compared
Goldenrod Crab Spider Misumena vatia Thomisidae interacts with 11 not compared
Kenya Clover Trifolium repens Fabaceae interacts with 10 not compared
Showing 4 of 233, by number of studies See more of this type

is preyed upon by more than 95 organisms

This term does declare that the organism harms this species.

Organism Reads as Studies Where it was documented Actions
Goldenrod Crab Spider Misumena vatia Thomisidae is preyed upon by 115 not compared
green lynx spider Peucetia viridans Oxyopidae is preyed upon by 57 not compared
Bee Wolf Philanthus triangulum Crabronidae is preyed upon by 46 not compared
Blinkende krabspin Synema globosum Thomisidae is preyed upon by 44 not compared
Showing 4 of 95, by number of studies See more of this type

has as a host more than 76 organisms

The authority declares no effect on this species for this term: neither that it harms it nor that it benefits it. In the source ontology symbiosis covers mutualism, commensalism and parasitism alike, so this block holds attackers and allies side by side.

Organism Reads as Studies Where it was documented Actions
Frogfruit Phyla nodiflora Verbenaceae has as a host 5 not compared
ceanothus Ceanothus Rhamnaceae has as a host 4 not compared Not a modelling unit: the source publishes it at genus level.
Bermuda-buttercup Oxalis pes-caprae Oxalidaceae has as a host 4 not compared
Allium Amaryllidaceae has as a host 3 not compared Not a modelling unit: the source publishes it at genus level.
Showing 4 of 76, by number of studies See more of this type

is eaten by more than 50 organisms

This term does declare that the organism harms this species.

Organism Reads as Studies Where it was documented Actions
green lynx spider Peucetia viridans Oxyopidae is eaten by 27 not compared
Goldenrod Crab Spider Misumena vatia Thomisidae is eaten by 23 not compared
Asian Hornet Vespa velutina Vespidae is eaten by 19 not compared
Flower Spider Thomisus onustus Thomisidae is eaten by 15 not compared
Showing 4 of 50, by number of studies See more of this type

is a mutualist of more than 37 organisms

This term declares that the organism benefits this species.

Organism Reads as Studies Where it was documented Actions
Boar Thistle Galactites tomentosa Asteraceae is a mutualist of 2 not compared
Strawberry guava Psidium cattleianum Myrtaceae is a mutualist of 2 not compared
Cheesewood Pittosporum senacia Pittosporaceae is a mutualist of 2 not compared
Croton fothergillifolius Euphorbiaceae is a mutualist of 1 not compared
Showing 4 of 37, by number of studies See more of this type

is a host of more than 19 organisms

The authority declares no effect on this species for this term: neither that it harms it nor that it benefits it. In the source ontology symbiosis covers mutualism, commensalism and parasitism alike, so this block holds attackers and allies side by side.

Organism Reads as Studies Where it was documented Actions
Varroa orthomyxovirus-1 Orthomyxoviridae is a host of 102 not compared
Deformed wing virus Iflaviridae is a host of 100 not compared
Nosema ceranae Nosematidae is a host of 100 not compared
American Foulbrood Paenibacillus larvae Paenibacillaceae is a host of 100 not compared
Showing 4 of 19, by number of studies See more of this type

Acompañantes documentados

This agronomic reading comes from a source reserved for internal use, so it is not shown here.

Documented uses and recommendations

Uses and recommendations that a source documents for this species beside a crop, each in its own context. They are the source's statements, not traits of the species and not Biolítica's recommendations, and none of them is a relation between two species.

Among the sources you can read, none documents a use or recommendation of this species beside a crop.