AnAge entry for Apis mellifera

Classification (HAGRID: 00015)

Taxonomy
Kingdom: Animalia
    Phylum: Arthropoda (Taxon entry)
        Class: Insecta (Taxon entry)
            Order: Hymenoptera
                Family: Apidae
                    Genus: Apis
Species
Apis mellifera
Common name
Honey bee
Synonyms
Apis caffra, Apis cerifera, Apis mellifica, Apis daurica, Apis australis, Apis nigritarum, Apis gregaria, Apis fasciata, Apis cerifera, Apis aenigmaticus, Apis adansonii, Apis intermissa, Apis siciliana, Apis sicula, Apis mellifera carnica, Apis mellifera cecropia, Apis remipes armeniaca, Apis mellifera scutellata, Apis mellifera major, Apis mellifica germanica, Apis mellifera ligustica, Apis mellifera lamarckii, Apis mellifera syriaca, Apis mellifera taurica, Apis mellifera anatoliaca, Apis mellida caucasia, Apis mellifera carpatica, Apis mellifera cypria, Apis mellifera sossimai, Apis mellifera iberiensis, Apis mellifera intermissa, Apis mellifera jemenitica, Apis mellifera meda, Apis mellifera nubica, Apis mellifera siciliana, Apis mellifera capensis, Apis mellifera litorea, Apis mellifica banatica, Apis mellifera macedonica, Apis mellifera adami, Apis mellifica rodopica, Apis mellifera remipes, Apis mellifica hymettea, Apis mellifera sahariensis, Apis mellifera ruttneri, Apis mellifica nigrita, Apis mellifera simensis, Apis mellifera adansoni, Apis mellifera monticola, Apis mellifera artemisia, Apis mellifera unicolor, Apis mellifera caucasica, Apis mellifera acervorum, Apis mellifera carniolica, Apis mellifera iberica, Apis mellifera armeniaca, Apis remipes transcaucasica, Apis mellifera sicula, Apis mellifica adami, Apis mellifica cecropia, Apis mellica cypria, Apis mellica remipes, Apis mellifica sahariensis, Apis mellifica carnica

Lifespan, ageing, and relevant traits

Maximum longevity
8 years
Source
ref. 812
Sample size
Medium
Data quality
Acceptable
Observations

As in other social insects, workers and queens have distinct lifespans in the honey bee. Queens have been reported to live up to 8 years. Workers have a short lifespan due to foraging but can live 0.2-0.4 years if prevented from foraging. In the winter, workers can develop into a stress-resistant form called the "diunitus" and live up to 0.9 years [0812]. As workers age there is a decline in cellular degradation activity [1166].

Life history traits (averages)

No information is available on life history. Please contact us if you wish to suggest or contribute data.

Metabolism

No information on metabolism is available.

References

External Resources

Integrated Taxonomic Information System
ITIS 154396
Animal Diversity Web
ADW account (if available)
Encyclopaedia of Life
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NCBI Taxonomy
Taxonomy ID 7460
Entrez
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Ageing Literature
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Internet
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