Apis mellifera capensis

The Kapbiene (Apis mellifera capensis ) is the southernmost of all the subspecies of the Western honey bee. Although extremely difficult to distinguish from the south-east African highlands bee ( Apis mellifera scutellata ), it has completely different properties than this. In addition to their relative gentleness also distinguishes them less Brutfreudigkeit from the south-east African highlands bee. Most interesting, however, is their ability of ( unfertilized ) eggs female worker bees ( female parthenogenesis ), and even full turn raise queens.

Outside their home, the Kapbiene in beekeeping currently has no appreciable importance, also because they do not have is the central European winter. For the bee science, however, their biology and behavior have a high priority. Thus, for example, could be interesting for beekeeping in the future their resistance to the varroa mite.

Be tentatively Cape peoples situated in Europe, it happens that Cape workers invade peoples of European origin. They kill there the queen, then to even begin to lay eggs and thus convert the nations.