Also known as western honey bees, European honey bees are one of Georgia's most well-known and economically beneficial insects, according to the University of Georgia's College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. This bee, the primary species used in Georgia's beekeeping trade, is a social insect that creates large colonies with worker bees, drone bees and a queen bee. The queen bee is responsible for reproduction in the colony. Colonies may have up to 60,000 worker bees gathering nectar for the hive, while approximately 500 drones --- male bees --- fly around to mate with other queen bees. Worker bees are sterile, meaning they don't have reproduction organs.
Carpenter bees receive their name from their proneness to build hives in trees and the wooden beams in building structures. These bees have large bodies and are most active in the late spring and summer. Adult carpenter bees grow up to 1 inch in length. The carpenter bee's abdomen is black, while the thorax and head feature yellow hairs. Carpenter bees are considered pests by homeowners, as they cause damage when building hives in a building's wooden beams. These bees aren't aggressive and only sting when handled. Females have stinging capabilities; males don't.
In 2010, the Georgia Department of Agriculture confirmed that Africanized honey bees were present in southern Georgia. Africanized honey bees were the result of a hybridization of African bees and European honey bees. These bees have a similar appearance to European honey bees but are much more aggressive when defending their hives. Rather than one specimen attacking an invader, much of an Africanized honey bee colony stings humans and other animals mercilessly. Due to this behavior, Africanized honey bees have also been called "killer bees." Similarly to European honey bees, Africanized honey bees have barbed stingers, meaning they can only sting once.
Some of Georgia's largest bees are the bumblebees. These bees grow up to 1 inch when fully mature, much like carpenter bees. Unlike carpenter bees, though, bumblebees have black and yellow hairs on their heads, thoraxes and abdomens. Bumblebees also develop colonies like honey bees. However, bumblebee nests are much less populated than those of honey bees, and these bees colonize in ground burrows rather than build hives. Bumblebees also pollinate flowers. These bees don't have barbed stingers, meaning they're able to sting more than once.