QAL Laws & Regulation Practice Exam

Honey bees belong to which insect order?

1. Lepidoptera

2. Hymenoptera

3. Diptera

4. Collembola

The correct answer is: Hymenoptera

Honey bees belong to the order Hymenoptera, which is characterized by insects that usually have two pairs of membranous wings and include species such as bees, wasps, and ants. This order is significant for its ecological roles, particularly in pollination, which honey bees exemplify through their behaviors and interactions with flowering plants. Lepidoptera, the order that includes butterflies and moths, is distinguished by having scaled wings and a different life cycle, involving a pupal stage. Diptera, known as flies, are characterized by having only one pair of wings, while the second pair is reduced to halteres. Collembola, known as springtails, are small, wingless insects often found in soil. Each of these orders exhibits distinctive features and lifestyles that separate them from Hymenoptera, making Hymenoptera the correct categorization for honey bees.