Here's an early reference to Apis in the America's, from a will:
 
"Plymouth Colony Records," Vol. 1, "Wills and Inventories, 1633-1669"
ed. C. H. Simmons, Jr. (Camden, Maine: Picton Press, 1996).  pp 38-39,
An Inventorie of the goods and chattells of Nathaniell Tilden late of
Scituate in New England in America gen Deceased made & prized the
xxxith Day of July 1641...(after a listing of the husbandry tools and
cattle and hogs and fowl comes "tenn stocks & swarmes of bees" rated at
ten British pounds.  The cattle, consisting of two oxen, two bulls, two
steers, one yearling, one cow, and one calf were valued at fifty
British pounds.  In an ajacent inventory three milk cows were valued at
six pounds apiece.
David Inouye, [log in to unmask]