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Animal's Behavior

All honey bees live in colonies where the worker bees will sting intruders as a form of defense, and alarmed bees will release a pheromone that stimulates the attack response in other bees.

Eating Habits

Pollen and nectar.

Range

Native to the continents of Europe, Asia, and Africa. As of the early 1600s, the insect was introduced to North America, with subsequent introductions of other European subspecies two centuries later. Since then, they have spread throughout the Americas.

Conservation Efforts

First, public planting of nectariferous plants as food supplements for honeybees should be planned to profit other bee species as well. Potential plant species should be tested for their attraction and suitability (in terms of blooming season and floral morphology) for both honeybees and native bees. Such an effort is now underway in Israel.

Animal Facts

• The honeybee hive is perennial. Although quite inactive during the winter, the honeybee survives the colder months by clustering for warmth. By self-regulating the internal temperature of the cluster, the bees maintain 93 degrees Fahrenheit in the center of the winter cluster (regardless of the outside temperature).

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