Races of Honeybees (Apis mellifera)

  • Apis mellifera mellifera: (German honeybee) Northern Europe, domesticated in modern times, taken to North America in colonial times

  • Apis mellifera carnica: (Carniolan honeybee) Southeastern Europe, popular with beekeepers due to its gentleness.

  • Apis mellifera ligustica: (Italian honeybee) Italy - the most commonly kept race in North America, South America and southern Europe

  • Apis mellifera cypria: (Cyprian honeybee) Near East

  • Apis mellifera caucasica: (Caucasian honeybee) Caucasus Mountains

  • Apis mellifera lamarckii: (Lamarkian honeybee) Egypt

  • Apis mellifera scutellata: (African honeybee) central and west Africa, hybrids of this species in the Americas are called Africanized bees.

  • Apis mellifera anatoliaca: (Anatolan honeybee) Turkey

  • Apis mellifera capensis: (Cape honeybee) South Africa

  • Apis mellifera nubica: (Nubian honeybee) Sudan

  • Apis mellifera syriaca: (Syrian honeybee Near East

  • Apis mellifera iberica: (Iberian honeybee) Spain, Portugal

  • Apis mellifera monticola: High altitudes of east Africa

  • Apis mellifera litorca: Low elevations of east Africa

  • Apis mellifera sahariensis: Northwest Africa

  • Apis mellifera meda: Iraq

This is not an exhaustive list. Additions and information on each race is welcomed