There are 4 main species of honey bees in Singapore.
The Giant Honey Bee
A Giant honey bee. Source from Karunakar Rayker, flickr.
This is a hive of the Giant honey bee. Source from Michael B, Flickr.
This species of honey bees is the largest among all and are usually in shades of brown and orange or yellow. The comb of the giant honey bees are usually exposed and hanging on the trees with no outer covering and usually protected by layers of bees. In Singapore, they can usually be found very high up in the trees. They are native to Singapore, contrary to the misconception that they are Malaysia bees which invaded Singapore. They can be seen all around the year, with increased numbers during August and September. The Giant Honey Bees tend to gather in the urban areas during the period of June to September in huge numbers and then dies. They can be frequently sighted foraging flowers and even collecting water on wet patches of the land.
The Dwarf Honey Bee
A dwarf honey bee collecting honey on a flower. Source from Charles Sharp, Flickr.
This is a hive of the dwarf honey bees. Source from Kathryn James, Flickr.
This species of honey bees is distinctly smaller and slender compared to the other types of honey bees. They are usually dark in colour with distinct yellow bands on the abdomen. The nest of the dwarf honey bees are similar to the nest of the giant honey bee, with exposed combs layered with bees hanging on trees or shrubs. This species of honey bee can be found most commonly in Singapore and similar to the giant honey bee, they can be frequently sighted foraging a wide range of flowers and also collecting water during the hot weather.
The Asian Honey Bee
An Asian honey bee. Source from Rio Sundoro, Flickr.
The Asian honey bee has very thick yellow bands as well as distinct black bands. They are usually smaller in size than the European honey bees even though they look very much alike. Asian honey bees tend to nest in small cavities in urban areas. It is commonly sighted in Singapore as well and they are very resistant to diseases compared to the European honey bees.
The European Honey Bee
A European Honey Bee. Source from creativecommons.
Similar to the Asian honey bees, these species of bees have very thick yellow bands but are larger in size. They are usually more ‘furry’ as compared to the Asian honey bees. Their combs are usually exposed with layers of bees covering and can be found hanging on trees or shrubs. The European honey bee is the main species that is suffering from the disease Colony Collapse Disorder.