The scientific name for honeybee; apis mellifera is actually incorrect.  In 1758, Linnaeus, in error, categorized the honeybee as apis mellifera, meaning ’honey-carrying bee’,  which implied that bees merely carried honey from flowers to comb.  In 1761 Linnaeus’s brother who was a beekeeper, spotted the mistake and proposed to have the name changed to apis mellifica, meaning ’honey-making bee’.  But according to the international rules, the earlier name had to be maintained.

Joe
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/HistoricalHoneybeeArticles/


      

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