# Western Honeybee (*Prolepsis*) Western Honeybees are important pollinators that help flowers grow. They are known for making sweet honey! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate - **Habitat:** Fields, gardens, and orchards - **Also known as:** Apis Mellifera ![Western Honeybee](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426175/objects/5460.jpg) ## Appearance The Western Honeybee has a fuzzy, golden-yellow and brownish-black striped body with delicate, transparent wings. Its segmented abdomen and hairy thorax make it distinct from sleek wasps. It also features six legs and prominent antennae. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Hymenoptera - **Family:** Apidae - **Genus:** Apis ## Interesting facts - A single worker bee makes only about 1/12 teaspoon of honey in its lifetime! - Honeybees have five eyes: two large compound eyes and three simple ocelli! - Honeybees visit millions of flowers to gather enough nectar for a jar of honey. - They use tiny hairs on their legs to carry pollen back to the hive. ## Special abilities - **Nectar Transformer:** Western Honeybee can convert collected flower nectar into nutritious honey that helps feed the entire colony. - **Pollen Powerhouse:** Western Honeybee has specialized 'pollen baskets' on its legs that help them efficiently carry pollen back to the hive. - **Waggle Navigator:** Western Honeybee can perform a 'waggle dance' that helps them communicate the location of food sources to other bees. - **Hive Engineer:** Western Honeybee can produce beeswax to build intricate hexagonal combs that helps store honey, pollen, and larvae. ## Measurements & details - **Size:** 12-15 mm - **Lifespan:** 15-150 days - **Flight Speed:** 25 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 - **Colony Size:** 80000 ## Diet & Feeding They fuel up on sweet nectar for energy and gather protein-rich pollen from flowers. - **Primary Foods:** Nectar, Pollen, Honey - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** [Apple Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/apple-tree) (*Malus domestica*) — Essential for apple fruit production. - **Pollinates:** [Sunflower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sunflower) (*Helianthus annuus*) — Visits sunflowers for abundant nectar and pollen. - **Eaten by:** [European Hornet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-hornet) (*Vespa crabro*) — European hornets sometimes prey on foraging bees. - **Pollinates:** [Dandelion](https://www.snappit.app/explore/dandelion) (*Taraxacum officinale*) — Provides early spring food from dandelions. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects-and-bugs) ## Safety **Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate Do not touch or pick up. Some insects sting or bite. Ask an adult for help. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Western Honeybee? Compare the antennae, wings, waist, body hair and legs. Yellow and black stripes show up on bees, wasps and harmless mimics alike. Bee & Wasp Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How big is Western Honeybee? 12-15 mm ### How long does Western Honeybee live? 15-150 days ### How fast can Western Honeybee fly? 25 km/h ### What does Western Honeybee eat? They fuel up on sweet nectar for energy and gather protein-rich pollen from flowers. ### Where is Western Honeybee usually found? Fields, gardens, and orchards ### How does Western Honeybee hunt? Foraging ### How many legs does Western Honeybee have? 6 ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Western Honeybee: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-honeybee)