Apis cerana japonica
| Japanese honey bee | |
|---|---|
| A hive with workers of A. c. japonica being scouted by a yellow hornet (Vespa simillima). | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Apidae |
| Genus: | Apis |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: | A. c. japonica |
| Trinomial name | |
| Apis cerana japonica (Radoszkowski, 1877) | |
Apis cerana japonica is a subspecies of the eastern honey bee native to Japan. It is commonly known as the Japanese honey bee (Japanese: ニホンミツバチ, Hepburn: Nihon mitsubachi). Analysis of mitochondrial DNA suggests that the ancestors of this subspecies came to Japan from the Korean Peninsula via Tsushima Island. Genetic differentiation between Japanese honeybees and Korean honeybees occurred about 20,000 years ago, which coincides with the separation of Japan's Tsushima Island from the Korean Peninsula due to sea level rise. They have been observed moving into urban areas in the absence of natural predators.
A. c. japonica is very resistant to the mite Varroa jacobsoni, which is commonly found among A. cerana. It is also able to adapt to weather extremes, has a long flight duration and is less likely to sting than the western counterpart.
3-Hydroxyoctanoic acid is a signalling chemical emitted by the orchid Cymbidium floribundum and is recognized by Japanese honeybees.