Western Honey Bee
Apis mellifera
- Group
- Bee
- Risk
- Low danger
- Protection status
- Spare where possible
- Identifying features
-
- Brownish and hairy, less strongly contrasted in colour than wasps
- Pollen baskets on the hind legs
- Barbed sting — stays in the skin together with the venom sac
The Western honey bee (Apis mellifera) is our most important beneficial insect and indispensable for the pollination of plants.
Identifying features
- Colouring: brownish and hairy, overall less strongly contrasted than wasps
- Legs: clearly visible pollen baskets on the hind legs
- Sting: fitted with barbs — it stays in the skin together with the venom sac when the bee stings, which kills the bee
Danger
Low: bee venom contains melittin, apamin and phospholipase A2, among other substances, which can trigger allergic reactions in sensitised people. Outside of defending its colony, the honey bee rarely stings.
Protection status in Switzerland
As a farm animal, the honey bee must be spared; control with biocides is prohibited.
What to do about a nest?
A colony that has swarmed (a honey bee swarm) is caught and relocated by a beekeeper rather than destroyed. We are happy to put you in touch with the right specialist.