About Apis laboriosa Smith, 1871
Apis laboriosa, commonly called the Himalayan giant honey bee, is the world’s largest honey bee. Individual adult bees can reach up to 3.0 centimeters (1.2 inches) in length. Prior to 1980, Apis laboriosa was classified as a subspecies of the widespread giant honey bee, Apis dorsata. From 1980 onward, it was recognized as a distinct species for nearly 20 years. In 1999, Michael S. Engel reclassified it as a subspecies of Apis dorsata again, but it was confirmed as a full species in 2020, based on evidence that it co-occurs with Apis dorsata at many sites with no signs of interbreeding. This species has strong behavioral adaptations to its highland habitat.
Apis laboriosa is mostly limited to the Himalayan region, and is the largest species in the bee genus Apis. It occurs in the mountainous areas of Bhutan, Yunnan (a province of China), India, Nepal, Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam. It most commonly nests at altitudes between 2,500 and 3,000 meters (8,200 and 9,800 feet), building very large nests under overhangs on the southwestern faces of vertical cliffs. A single nest can hold up to 60 kilograms (130 pounds) of honey. The bees forage for food at altitudes as high as 4,100 meters (13,500 feet).
The informal term "Himalayan honey bee" is sometimes used to refer to any of the four honey bee species found in the Himalayan region: Apis cerana, Apis florea, Apis dorsata, and Apis laboriosa. A large part of Apis laboriosa's range overlaps with the range of the yellow-rumped honeyguide (Indicator xanthonotus), a small sparrow-like bird that feeds mainly on beeswax. Due to this overlapping range relationship, yellow-rumped honeyguides are frequently observed near Apis laboriosa colonies in the Himalayas.
