close up of a honey bee on a milkweed bud 2 - apis mellifera

honey bee spelled honeybee eusocial flying insect genus apis clade native mainland afroeurasia bees construction perennial colonial nests wax large size colonies surplus production storage distinguishing hives prized foraging target animals including badgers bears human huntergatherers western mellifera domesticated crop pollination ilkweed bud milkweed close