Apis dorsata
In 3 days ~80% in a week >90%
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.
Apis dorsata belongs to the subgenus Megapis in the family Apidae. This honeybee is most closely related to A. mellifera (the western honey bee), A. cerana, and A. florea. There are a few hypotheses as to when A. dorsata diverged from A. florea and A. cerana, as it is unclear which divergence occurred first. Currently, the consensus hypothesis provides a family tree that claims that A. dorsata diverged from both A. cerana and A. florea at the same time. Wikipedia →
Likely
About 50% of wildlife watchers report a Giant Honey Bee sighting in Agra on a given day, based on 20 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the most-seen of the 7 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 80%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February and November
In those months about 60% of wildlife watchers report a Giant Honey Bee in Agra on a given day, against about 10% in August and September, the lowest months. Those are among Agra's driest months, with about 10 mm of rain a month against 190 mm in July.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Giant Honey Bee sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 45 cities where we can rate Giant Honey Bee sightings, Agra ranks 3rd at about 50%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Jammu (India, about 50%) and Prayagraj (India, about 50%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Giant Honey Bee is recorded against all the insects logged in Agra (20 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
