The most prolific species of honey bee in the world is the European or Western honey bee (Apis mellifera). Originally native to Europe, Africa, and western Asia, this species has been transported by humans to every continent except Antarctica. Over thousands of years of natural adaptation and selective breeding, numerous subspecies and hybrids have emerged — each with unique temperaments, strengths, and limitations.

Whether you're a beekeeper choosing your first colony or a homeowner wondering what kind of bees have moved into your walls, understanding the different types of honey bees can help you make informed decisions. Here's a guide to the most common varieties you'll encounter in Texas and across North America.

Italian Honey Bee (Apis mellifera ligustica)

The Italian honey bee is the most popular subspecies among beekeepers worldwide, and for good reason. Originating from the Italian peninsula, these bees are prized for their more docile nature, resistance to disease, and high production of honey. They are easily recognized by their distinctive light golden-yellow coloring with darker bands on the abdomen.

Italian bees are prolific brood producers, which means colonies build up quickly in spring — an advantage for honey production. They are also excellent comb builders and relatively gentle, making them ideal for beginner beekeepers.

However, Italian bees do have some drawbacks. Their large colonies consume more food stores, making them more vulnerable during long winters. They are also known to rob honey from weaker neighboring hives, which can spread disease between colonies. Despite these tendencies, their overall productivity and temperament make them the go-to choice for most American beekeepers.

European Dark Honey Bee (Apis mellifera mellifera)

Also known as the German honey bee, the European dark bee was one of the first honey bee subspecies brought to the Americas by early colonists. They are stockier and darker than Italian bees, with deep brown to black coloring and a distinctly hairy thorax.

These bees are adapted to live in cold climates, having evolved in the forests of northern Europe. Their colonies conserve resources well during winter and are hardy enough to survive harsh conditions that would weaken other subspecies.

On the downside, European dark bees tend to be more defensive and nervous on the comb, which makes hive inspections more challenging. They are also more susceptible to brood diseases like European foulbrood. For these reasons, they have largely been replaced by Italian and Carniolan bees in most commercial operations, though they remain valued in northern European breeding programs for their cold-hardiness.

Carniolan Honey Bee (Apis mellifera carnica)

Originating from Slovenia, Austria, and the surrounding Balkan regions, the Carniolan honey bee is the second most popular subspecies among beekeepers after the Italian. They are slightly darker than Italians, with grayish-brown bands and a notably gentle temperament.

Carniolan bees are renowned for their extreme peacefulness, making them safer and easier to work with — particularly in residential areas where aggressive bee behavior could be a liability. They are also exceptional at rapidly building up colony populations in spring when nectar flows begin.

Another major advantage is their tendency to conserve honey stores during periods of dearth. When nectar becomes scarce, the queen reduces egg-laying and the colony tightens its resource usage — a survival strategy that makes them excellent for regions with unpredictable weather. Carniolans are also strong navigators and less prone to drifting between hives, which reduces the spread of diseases in apiaries.

Caucasian Honey Bee (Apis mellifera caucasica)

Native to the Caucasus Mountains between Europe and Asia, the Caucasian honey bee is known for its extremely long tongue — the longest of any honey bee subspecies. This adaptation allows them to access nectar from deep-throated flowers that other bees cannot reach, making them valuable pollinators for certain crops like red clover.

Caucasian bees are generally gentle and calm on the comb. They are silvery-gray to dark in color and are moderate honey producers. Their colonies build up slowly in spring but maintain steady populations through the season.

Their main drawback is an excessive use of propolis — the sticky resin bees collect from tree buds to seal gaps in the hive. Caucasian bees use so much propolis that it can make hive inspections messy and difficult, essentially gluing frames and boxes together. They are also more susceptible to nosema, a fungal gut disease. For these reasons, they are less commonly kept than Italian or Carniolan varieties.

Russian Honey Bee

Russian honey bees were imported to the United States by the USDA in the late 1990s from the Primorsky region of far eastern Russia. What makes them special is their natural resistance to Varroa mites, which are one of the most devastating parasites affecting honey bee colonies worldwide.

Having coexisted with Varroa mites for over 150 years — far longer than any Western honey bee population — Russian bees evolved behavioral defenses including aggressive grooming and hygienic removal of mite-infested brood. They also show resistance to tracheal mites.

Russian bees tend to be frugal with resources, maintaining smaller colonies during dearth periods and ramping up quickly when nectar flows begin. They can be slightly more defensive than Italians and have a stronger swarming tendency, which requires more vigilant management. Despite these challenges, their mite resistance makes them increasingly popular among beekeepers looking to reduce chemical treatments in their hives.

Buckfast Honey Bee

The Buckfast bee is not a natural subspecies but a carefully developed hybrid, created by Brother Adam at Buckfast Abbey in Devon, England over several decades of selective breeding. He crossed Italian, Greek, Turkish, and other bee stocks to produce a bee that combined the best traits of multiple subspecies.

Buckfast bees can survive in wet and cold climates and are known to clean themselves well, which provides some resistance to tracheal mites. They are gentle, productive honey makers, and build up colony populations quickly in spring.

They are also excellent at housekeeping — keeping their hive clean and free of debris, which contributes to disease resistance. Buckfast bees have low swarming tendencies and are economical with food stores during winter. Their main limitation is that their favorable traits can be lost within a few generations if queens mate with non-Buckfast drones, so maintaining pure Buckfast stock requires careful breeding programs.

Africanized Honey Bee

The Africanized honey bee — often called the "killer bee" — is a hybrid between African honey bees (Apis mellifera scutellata) and various European subspecies. They were accidentally released in Brazil in 1957 and have since spread throughout the Americas, including into Texas and the southern United States.

Africanized bees are virtually indistinguishable from European honey bees in appearance — only laboratory analysis can confirm identification. However, their behavior is markedly different. They are characterized by high hostility, defending their colony in much greater numbers and pursuing perceived threats over longer distances than European bees. They also have strong relocation tendencies, frequently absconding from their hive to establish a new colony elsewhere.

Despite their aggressive reputation, Africanized bees are actually excellent foragers and prolific honey producers in tropical climates. They are also more resistant to many diseases and parasites. The danger lies in their defensive behavior, which makes them unsuitable for managed beekeeping in populated areas.

If you suspect you have Africanized bees on your property, do not attempt removal yourself. Contact Honey Bee Rescue — we have the expertise and equipment to safely identify and relocate any type of honey bee colony in the DFW metroplex.