The Honey Bee, Apis mellifera, is recognizable by even the staunchest of insectaphobes. And the amount of information about them out there on the web is astounding. This is not a native insect to North America. It was brought over by the colonists because of its honey abilities. It is now widespread of course, but originated in Europe and Africa.

The Apis are the crowning pollinators of many of our important fruit trees. They have been hard hit the past twenty years by certain hive invaders like mites. Many of the orchards of the US are dependent on the patience of beekeepers.

These are workers in the fall at the end of their heavy work cycle. They overwinter and are all sterile females. The only fertile female is the queen who hangs out at the hive. This particular patch of mud was highly sought after. Note the drowning victim in the upper right. The bees were being very aggressive towards each other around this mud.