[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

honeybee \hon"eybee`\, n. zool.
   any bee of the genus apis, which lives in communities and
   collects honey, esp. the common domesticated hive bee apis
   mellifica, the italian bee apis ligustica, and the
   arabiab bee apis fasciata. the two latter are by many
   entomologists considered only varieties of the common hive
   bee. each swarm of bees consists of a large number of workers
   barren females, with, ordinarily, one queen or fertile
   female, but in the swarming season several young queens, and
   a number of males or drones, are produced.
   1913 webster
see also:
apis apis mellifica apis ligustica apis fasciata 

[2] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

bee \bee\ b=e, n. as. be'o; akin to d. bij and bije,
   icel. b=y, sw.  dan. bi, ohg. pini, g. biene, and perh.
   ir. beach, lith. bitis, skr. bha. root97.
   1. zool. an insect of the order hymenoptera, and family
      apidae the honeybees, or family andrenidae the
      solitary bees. see honeybee.
      1913 webster

   note: there are many genera and species. the common honeybee
         apis mellifica lives in swarms, each of which has
         its own queen, its males or drones, and its very
         numerous workers, which are barren females. besides the
         apis mellifica there are other species and varieties
         of honeybees, as the apis ligustica of spain and
         italy; the apis indica of india; the apis fasciata
         of egypt. the bumblebee is a species of bombus. the
         tropical honeybees belong mostly to melipoma and
         trigona.
         1913 webster

   2. a neighborly gathering of people who engage in united
      labor for the benefit of an individual or family; as, a
      quilting bee; a husking bee; a raising bee. u. s.
      1913 webster

            the cellar . . . was dug by a bee in a single day.
                                                  --s. g.
                                                  goodrich.
      1913 webster

   3. pl. prob. fr. as. be'ah ring, fr. b?gan to bend. see
      1st bow. naut. pieces of hard wood bolted to the
      sides of the bowsprit, to reeve the fore-topmast stays
      through; -- called also bee blocks.
      1913 webster

   bee beetle zool., a beetle trichodes apiarius
      parasitic in beehives.

   bee bird zool., a bird that eats the honeybee, as the
      european flycatcher, and the american kingbird.

   bee flower bot., an orchidaceous plant of the genus
      ophrys ophrys apifera, whose flowers have some
      resemblance to bees, flies, and other insects.

   bee fly zool., a two winged fly of the family
      bombyliidae. some species, in the larval state, are
      parasitic upon bees.

   bee garden, a garden or inclosure to set beehives in; an
      apiary. --mortimer.

   bee glue, a soft, unctuous matter, with which bees cement
      the combs to the hives, and close up the cells; -- called
      also propolis.

   bee hawk zool., the honey buzzard.

   bee killer zool., a large two-winged fly of the family
      asilidae esp. trupanea apivora which feeds upon
      the honeybee. see robber fly.

   bee louse zool., a minute, wingless, dipterous insect
      braula caeca parasitic on hive bees.

   bee martin zool., the kingbird tyrannus carolinensis
      which occasionally feeds on bees.

   bee moth zool., a moth galleria cereana whose
      larvae feed on honeycomb, occasioning great damage in
      beehives.

   bee wolf zool., the larva of the bee beetle. see illust.
      of bee beetle.

   to have a bee in the head or to have a bee in the bonnet.
      a to be choleric. obs.
      b to be restless or uneasy. --b. jonson.
      c to be full of fancies; to be a little crazy. "she's
          whiles crack-brained, and has a bee in her head."
          --sir w. scott.
          1913 webster beebalm
see also:
hymenoptera apidae andrenidae honeybee apis mellifica apis ligustica 
apis indica apis fasciata bumblebee bombus melipoma 
trigona bow bee blocks bee beetle trichodes apiarius 
bee bird bee flower ophrys ophrys apifera bee fly 
bombyliidae bee garden bee glue propolis bee hawk 
bee killer asilidae trupanea apivora robber fly bee louse 
braula caeca bee martin tyrannus carolinensis bee moth galleria cereana 
bee wolf to have a bee in the head to have a bee in the bonnet 

Apis >> A Words
Apis, definition of term: Apis
apis_pag1.html