Iberian honey bee; Abeja doméstica ibérica

Description:

Apis mellifera iberiensis also known as A. mellifera iberica (Spanish: mellifera iberica), is a Western honey bee subspecies native to Spain and Portugal. Apis mellifera iberiensis are very vigorous and active at temperatures where other subspecies of bees are not leaving the hive, supporting long, cold winters. They have a length of the forewings with an average of 9.226 mm and 3.098 mm while the width of the subspecies Apis mellifera mellifera is 9.381 mm and 3.0293 mm respectively. A. m. iberiensis has the body size of European subspecies with forewings narrower and wider abdomen. It is mostly dark brown to jet-black. The darkness is accentuated by the low tomentum and low hairiness. The queens are black almost uniform in color. They are prolific and with high fertility controlled by environmental conditions.

Habitat:

Spotted at a clearing in a pine tree forest. Parque Nacional de Sierra de Guadarrama

Notes:

Camera Model: NIKON D300. Exposure Time: 1/400 sec.; f/10; ISO Speed Rating: 800. Exposure Bias: 0 EV. Focal Length: 300.0 mm.