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Any bee of the genus Apis, which lives in communities and collects honey, esp. the common domesticated hive bee (Apis mellifica), the Italian bee (A. ligustica), and the Arabiab bee (A. fasciata). The two latter are by many entomologists considered only varieties of the common hive bee. Each swarm of bees consists of a…

A genus of insects of the order Hymenoptera, including the common honeybee (Apis mellifica) and other related species. See Honeybee.

An insect of the order Hymenoptera, and family Apidæ (the honeybees), or family Andrenidæ (the solitary bees.) See Honeybee.

The male of bees, esp. of the honeybee. It gathers no honey. See Honeybee. All with united force combine to drive The lazy drones from the laborious hive. Dryden.

The male of the honeybee; a drone.

A box, basket, or other structure, for the reception and habitation of a swarm of honeybees. Dryden.

The receptacle for honey in a honeybee. Shak. Grew.

the imperfectly developed females of certain social insects, as of the ant and the common honeybee, which perform the labors of the community, and are called workers.

red cherries." Spenser. -- Queen bee (Zoöl.), a female bee, especially the female of the honeybee. See Honeybee. -- Queen conch (Zoöl.), a very large West Indian cameo conch (Cassis cameo). It is much used for making cameos. -- Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king. Blackstone. -- Queen dowager, the widow of a…

Especially, a great number of honeybees which emigrate from a hive at once, and seek new lodgings under the direction of a queen; a like body of bees settled permanently in a hive. "A swarm of bees." Chaucer.