Apidae
| Apidae | |
|---|---|
| Apis mellifera (a Western honey bee), on a Canada thistle | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Superfamily: | Apoidea |
| Clade: | Anthophila |
| Family: | Apidae Latreille, 1802 |
| Type genus | |
| Apis Linnaeus, 1758 | |
| Subfamilies | |
Apidae is the largest family within the superfamily Apoidea, containing at least 5700 species of bees. The family includes some of the most commonly seen bees, including bumblebees and honey bees, but also includes stingless bees (also used for honey production), carpenter bees, orchid bees, cuckoo bees, and a number of other less widely known groups. Many are valuable pollinators in natural habitats and for agricultural crops.