Apiology (from Greek: api, "bee"; and λόγος, logos, "knowledge") is the scientific study of honey bees, a subdiscipline of Melittology, which is itself a branch of entomology. Honey bees are often chosen as a study group to answer questions on the evolution of social systems. All honey bees are highly eusocial.
Melittology is the study of all bees, which comprise more than 17,000 species other than honey bees. Apicology is honey bee ecology. Apidology is a variant spelling of apiology used outside of the Western Hemisphere, primarily in Europe (e.g., [1]); it is sometimes used interchangeably with melittology (e.g. [2]).
Thomas D. Seeley, Studies group organization using the honey bee as a model system at Cornell University.[3]
Robert Evans Snodgrass, (1875-1962), Author of one of the first comprehensive books on honey bee anatomy and physiology.
Stephen Taber III, (1924-2008), Innovator in the practice of artificial insemination of queen bees for the purpose of developing disease resistant and gentle bee colonies.
Mark Winston, Studies life history, caste structure, and reproduction in social insects and pheromones of honey bees at Simon Fraser University.[4]