SIZE: 2/5 to 3/5 inches (Workers).

COLOR: Golden brown and black markings.

DESCRIPTION: The honey bee is covered with short, dense hair, usually golden-brown and black, and its abdomen is striped. There are three types of honey bees in the colony: workers (2/5 to 3/5 inch long), drones (3/4 to 5/8 inch long), and the queen (3/5 to ¾ inch long).

HABITAT: Around flowers and other flowering vegetation.

LIFE CYCLE: The queen is responsible for reproduction. The drones are fertile male bees that mate with new queens. The workers are sterile females responsible for feeding the queen, maintaining the hive, gathering the pollen and nectar, and protecting the hive.

MEDICAL ADVICE:

1. When stung by a bee, immediately remove the stinger by gently scraping the stinger with a fingernail or knife.
2. Next, wash the sting site with soap and water.
3. Apply ice to minimize pain and swelling.
4. For normal sting reactions, a solution of ½ teaspoon meat tenderizer dissolved in 1 teaspoon water can be applied to the skin to relieve discomfort.
5. If you experience anything more than a localized, normal reaction, and/or difficulty breathing - seek medical attention immediately.

REMOVAL FROM BUILDINGS: When honey bees establish a nest in your house, you need to hire a certified beekeeper. Untended honey will decompose and seep out of the comb, causing odor problems and staining walls.  Likewise, other pest infestation may occur by flies, ants, beetles, cockroaches and other insects.