Asian Honey Bee
About the Asian Honey Bee in Singapore
Last updated 29 May 2026
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The Asian Honey Bee (Apis cerana) is a cavity-nesting bee native to Singapore and much of Asia. Highly adaptable, they are a vital pollinator for many local plants in both our forests and urban areas.
Identifying features
Check out some identifying features of the Asian Honey Bee!
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The Asian Honey Bee is characterised by its distinct yellow and black banding on the abdomen and a fuzzy, hairy thorax. These bees are noticeably smaller and often display a slightly more yellow hue compared to the Western Honey Bee (Apis mellifera).
Habitat and ecology
They are generalist foragers, visiting a wide variety of local flowers. In the wild, they build multi-comb nests in dark, enclosed cavities such as tree hollows, but in urban environments, they easily adapt to nesting in roof spaces or discarded boxes.
Did you know?
When threatened by predators like hornets, Asian Honey Bees perform a synchronized "shimmering" wave. They flick their abdomens in unison, creating a rippling visual effect across the nest to confuse and deter the attacker!
Learn more about the Asian Honey Bee!
Curious about the Asian Honey Bee? Here are some interesting articles you can read to learn more about them.
