According to Roger Morse, the correct form is "honey bee." Like bumble bee, sweat bee, carpenter bee, etc. Some other names are correct all in one: dragonfly housefly butterfly Honeybee, honey bee, hon eybee -- still we are talking about the same thing. There is no law requiring strict adherence, but the major entomological societies have settled on the "official" form, "honey bee" as the common name for Apis mellifera.