Honey Bees
What are Honey Bees?
The typical honey bee in the United States is Apis mellifera, also known as the western honey bee or European honey bee.
They first arrived to North America in 1622 and can now be found on every continent except Antarctica.
They first arrived to North America in 1622 and can now be found on every continent except Antarctica.
So Honey Bees Aren't Native to North America?
Nope! There are 4,000 species of bees native to North America, but Apis mellifera is not one of them.
What are the Benefits of Keeping Honey Bees?
Honey!
Beeswax
Pollination
What are the Downsides of Keeping Honey Bees?
- Cost of Supplies. It can be expensive to get started, but recurring costs are fairly minimal once you have your equipment.
- Bee Diseases. If you keep reading, you'll learn how to help prevent and treat the most common pests and diseases.
- Concerns about competition with native bees.