Apis mellifera adami
Apis mellifera adonsoni
Apis mellifera anatolica
Apis mellifera capensis
Apis mellifera carnica
Apis mellifera carpathica
Apis mellifera caucasica
Apis mellifera cecropia
Apis mellifera cypria
Apis mellifera iberica
Apis mellifera intermissa
Apis mellifera iran(i)
Apis mellifera jemenitica
Apis mellifera lamarkii (faciata)
Apis mellifera ligustica
Apis mellifera litorea
Apis mellifera major
Apis mellifera meda
Apis mellifera mellifera
Apis mellifera monticola
Apis mellifera pomonella
Apis mellifera remipes
Apis mellifera saharencis
Apis mellifera scutellata
Apis mellifera sicilana, sicula
Apis mellifera syriaca
Apis mellifera unicolor
Non A. mellifera Races
Hybrid or Synthetic Bee Types
Honey Bee Taxonomy
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The Racial Types of Honey Bees
For Convenience I have used the same names and classifications as are used in Eva Crane's book "Bees and Beekeeping".
The information on the sub pages has been gathered from many sources and notes. Where precise references can be quoted they are given, much of the information is anecdotal and may actually come from hybridised bees that were thought by the owner to be of a particular race. This is not a scientific study, but is a collection of useful information that can be used for guidance and should not be relied upon as absolute fact.
The information on the minor mellifera races, and the non mellifera races, may take some time to gather as I have no personal experience of them.
Each page deals with a particular race and contains (or will contain) morphometric data and any other characteristics, observations and anecdotes.
| Since this page was first generated (early in 2001) there have been many advances in DNA technology, which initially was a subject that I had little knowledge of, however by attending various lectures, reading and internet searching, I have come to understand a little more... I have thus started to include DNA information in this section of the website. A page that details the level of my understanding of this technology can be accessed via this link in order that you can assess for yourself my level of competence on the subject and thus the reliability that you may be able to place on the data presented. |
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There is a possibility that, in future, some races may be split or new types defined. I will try to keep this data abreast of any such changes.
Particular hybrids or synthesised bee types can be found under "Hybrid or synthetic Bee Types". However, types with a known history will be sub pages from the racial type or known ancestor from which they were formed... ie, New World Carniolan will be found on the Apis mellifera carnica page.
There about 20,000 species of bees that we have so far discovered, I suspect there are many more! Bees fall into the order Hymenoptera there are two families Apidæ with long tongues and Andrenidæ that are short tongued. There are three social types... Bombus (Bumble bees), Melipona (Stingless Bees) and the third genus, is our beloved honey bee Apis.
Apis is now further split into 9 species, these are divided into 4 groups that were previously known as the species. (information from Zachary Huang.)
Apis is my main interest... and the Apis mellifera race is the most interesting... It is the race of bees that are most used by beekeepers.Apis mellifera
Apis cerana
Apis koschenikovi (koschevnikovi ??)
Apis nigrocincta
Apis nuluensis the latter 3 species recently split off from A. cerana.Apis dorsata (giant honey bees).
Apis laboriosa (black giant bees, recognised as a distinct species around 1986).
Apis florea (dwarf honey bees).
Apis andreniformis (black dwarf bees, only recently recognised as separate).
