Among the known living members of the Apis genus the more basal species of the honey bee is known for making single, unprotected combs while the more recently developed species are known to nest in cavities consisting of multiple combs which has greatly contributed to their domestication. The closest known living relatives to the honey bee including the stingless and the bumble bee are characterized to some extent as social organisms exhibiting a collective behavior that predates the emergence of the genus.

▪ The origin of the honey bee is thought to have begun in the regions of South and South East Asia including the Philippines with the earliest appearance of the honey bee in the European deposits fossil record dating back to over 56 million years ago. The number of honey bees extant today is viewed as only a small percentage of the approximately known 20,000 species of bees and although there are other types of bees known for producing and storing honey, only members of the Apis genus are classifies as real honey bees. This accounts for a total of 44 subspecies of the honey bee in spite of the fact that historically up to 11 species were acknowledged. To date only seven species of the honey bees are known to scientists. The honey bee today is the only existing member of the Apini tribe in the Apis family. The honey bee often referred to as bees of the Apis family are genetically identified by their ability to produce and store honey in addition to the constructing of perennial, nest for their colonies made from wax.

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