Kauaʻi record · KCA-IA-00137
European Honey Bee
Apis mellifera
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About European Honey Bee
European Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) belongs to Apidae in the order Hymenoptera. Its recorded origin status is introduced — naturalized.
Natural history and identification
The western honey bee lives in colonies with a queen, female workers, and male drones. Workers collect nectar and pollen and rear brood in comb cells. Colony reproduction includes swarming. Managed colonies and free-living colonies both contribute bee observations, but their presence does not establish the health of wild pollinator populations or eliminate the need to conserve native Hawaiian bees.
Kauaʻi occurrence and evidence
Atlas occurrence category: Present. The Kauaʻi record is classified as “Present”. Its cited evidence source is University of Hawaiʻi — Kauaʻi Community College. Common managed and feral pollinator. Nonnative honey bees can compete with endemic Hylaeus bees for floral resources and may serve as pathogen reservoirs.
Account coverage
Published species details have been added. A complete Kauaʻi-specific account of identification, habitat, feeding, reproduction, and population trend is not yet established by the sources linked here.
Names and classification
- Scientific name
- Apis mellifera
- Common names
- European Honey Bee
- Family
- Apidae
- Order
- Hymenoptera
- Record type
- species
Kauaʻi occurrence and status
- Kauaʻi occurrence
- Present
- Origin
- Introduced — naturalized
- Conservation status
- Managed pollinator; nonnative
Process and seasonal context
- Seasonal description
- European honey bee (Apis mellifera) is an introduced, naturalized pollinator on Kauaʻi. It is economically important to beekeeping and crops, but it is not a native Hawaiian bee and can compete with endemic yellow-faced bees for flowers.