# Can you tell me if these are honeybees?



## dla (Jun 13, 2004)

I haven't seen honeybees in the garden for Oh so long.
So I was happy when I thought I saw some large eyed, fuzzy fliers around the daisy-like weeds that are blooming now. I had hoped we had a beekeeper in the area or something.
But upon further inspection, I noted that the end of the abdomen was blacker than I remembered and the stripes were more black than I remembered.
Are these honey bees? Are they hybrids?
I also saw black insects their size which had much smaller eyes, which I took to be wasps.
Any clues?


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## justgojumpit (May 5, 2003)

if you had a picture for me, i could give you an answer one way or another, probably  The problem is, large eyed fuzzy fliers could just as easily be bumblebees, from your description. do you know what a honeybee looks like? if these bees have the same physical proportions as honeybees, they most likely are. colors range from lighter to darker, and honey bees also vary in size some. this is normal, and is the reason that evolution can happen. this is just genetic variation. If you could post a picture i would be able to give you a more definite answer than that.

justgojumpit


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## dla (Jun 13, 2004)

They are definitely honeybee sized and shaped, it is just that they have more black color and their abdomen section is a bit longer.
As long as there aren't any killer bees  around, I guess they are just a different variety of honey bee.
But no way they are a natural hive, right? They'd have to be from a local keeper nowadays.
I'd just like to get to know anybody in the area who keeps them. Seems like a good thing to do.


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## bare (May 10, 2002)

Sounds like Black Carniolan honey bees. They are a particualy gentle bee, prone to swarm easily. I love 'em. Easy to work and great producers, they tend to overwinter well.


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## beaglady (Oct 7, 2002)

dla said:


> But no way they are a natural hive, right? They'd have to be from a local keeper nowadays.


There are bees in my area that appear to be feral. They are darker than the 'regular' Italian bees that many beekeepers have. Even among my own hives, which have requeened themselves a few times, there are differences in color from one to the other.


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