Western Honey Bee – State insect North Dakota
The state insect of North Dakota is the Western honey bee which is found mostly in the western part of North Dakota. The Western honey bees are native to the western United States and northern Mexico. They are shipped around the world as far south as South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and even parts of Europe.
Scientific Classification of Western Honey Bee
Physical Description
There are eight major parts to a Western honey bee including the head, thorax, abdomen, wings, legs, and tarsal segments.
The physical structure of a Western honey bee is quite different from that of a bee found in East Asia. Rather than being a compact ball, the insect is more like a small, elongated wasp.
The body is covered with short, black hair, and the abdomen is divided into two halves by a thin waist. The wings are small and stubby, and the legs are short and stout. The head is large and broad, with large eyes and a long proboscis. The Western honey bee lives in colonies of up to 50,000 bees, which are housed in hexagonal cells in the walls of hives.
Lifecycle of Western Honey Bee
The life cycle of a Western honey bee starts with the queen bee laying eggs. The eggs will hatch into larvae and then transform into pupae. Once the pupae has turned into adults, they will emerge from the cells and start to look for a place to live. The first place they will try is in a nearby colony, but if that’s not possible they will search for a hive. Once they find a hive, the adults will join up with other bees and start to work.
Why is Western Honey Bee the state insect of North Dakota?
The Western honey bee is the most common honey bee in North Dakota. They are also the most diverse honey bee in North Dakota, and they have the ability to produce large quantities of honey. The Western honey bee helps pollinate crops, and they are important for the agricultural industry. Due to all these qualities western honey bee declared as the North Dakota’s state insect officially.