Asian honey bee

Asian honey bee

Photo by CSIRO

  • Invasive and adaptive strain of Asian honey bee (AHB)
  • Similar appearance to the European honey bee, although is slightly smaller, has more pronounced stripes on its abdomen and has an erratic flying pattern
  • AHB cannot be managed for honey production or pollination, due to its frequent swarming and tendency to abscond
  • Robs European honey bees of their honey stores and competes for floral resources
  • Currently only present in the Cairns region (Qld)

High priority pest of: Honey bees

Scientific name: Apis cerana (exotic strains, genotypes and sub-species)
EPPRD Category:
Life Form: Ants & wasps (HYMENOPTERA)

Pest Documents

FS: fact sheet

CP: contingency plan

DP: diagnostic protocol