---
title: "Giant Honey Bee"
description: "Apis dorsata — Insetos e aranhas. Apis dorsata, the rock bee or giant honey bee, is a honey bee of South and Southeast Asia."
canonical: https://animalchecklist.com/pt/animal/giant-honey-bee
last_updated: 2026-09-20
---

# Giant Honey Bee

> Apis dorsata — Insetos e aranhas. Apis dorsata, the rock bee or giant honey bee, is a honey bee of South and Southeast Asia.

- Scientific name: *Apis dorsata*
- Category: `insects` (Insetos e aranhas)
- Habitats: unknown
- iNaturalist observations: 12296
- Wikidata: [Q840434](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q840434)
- iNaturalist taxon: [245955](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/245955)

## Names

- en: Giant Honey Bee
- de: Riesenhonigbiene
- es: Abeja asiática grande
- fr: Abeille géante
- nl: Reuzenhoningbij
- pl: Pszczoła olbrzymia

## Countries with the most observations

IN (6272), TH (1992), MY (939), ID (569), SG (448), CN (350), LK (333), VN (221), NP (139), KH (129), PK (122), BD (82)

## Summary

Apis dorsata, the rock bee or giant honey bee, is a honey bee of South and Southeast Asia. They are typically around 17–20 mm (0.7–0.8 in) long and nests are mainly built in exposed places far off the ground, like on tree limbs, under cliff overhangs, and under buildings. These social bees are known for their aggressive defense strategies and vicious behavior when disturbed. Though the species is not domesticated, indigenous peoples have traditionally used it as a source of honey and beeswax, a practice known as honey hunting.

Text: Wikipedia (en), CC BY-SA 4.0 — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apis_dorsata

## Photo

![Giant Honey Bee](https://animalchecklist.com/img/animals/giant-honey-bee/medium.jpg)

Photo: Haneesh K M · CC0 · inaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/129000222

## Machine access

`GET https://animalchecklist.com/api/v1/animals/giant-honey-bee?lang=pt` — see [openapi.json](https://animalchecklist.com/openapi.json).