Meet Our Animals
The Brandywine Zoo proves that great things do come in small packages. The Zoo features animals from the tropical and temperate areas of North and South America, Asia and Africa. Our animals range from more common species to the highly endangered. All enjoy natural settings and welcome your visit to the zoo. Some animals may be off exhibit during cold weather.
Apis mellifera
Italian Honey Bees
Habitat
Geographic Region & Range
Diet
Physical Description
Honey bees are red/brown with yellow rings on their abdomen. Their body is divided into the head, thorax, and abdomen. They have three pairs of legs, and two pairs of wings.
Size
Weight
Lifespan
Average queen life is 2-5 years. Workers live a few weeks to a few months.
Threats
Status
What are AZA Zoos doing for
Italian Honey Bees
Many zoos have pollinator gardens or way stations on grounds, celebrate pollinator conservation holidays, or have demonstration hives like Brandywine Zoo does. Additionally, AZA and the National Pollinator Garden Network and is promoting the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge, a campaign furthering pollinator conservation by having volunteers create, maintain, and register pollinator gardens at their homes, workplaces, and communities.
Fun Facts
Honey bees pollinate 71 out of 100 of the most common crops – accounting for 90% of the world’s food supply!
In the United States, bees pollinate nearly $15 billion worth of crops every year, and $200 billion globally.
Honey bees are partly endothermic – they will warm themselves and the hive by working their flight muscles.
Bears, honey badgers, birds, skunks, and toads all eat honey bees.
Rock art dating back to around 7000 BCE shows that humans have been collecting honey from bees for thousands of years!
