Where do honey bees come from? New study 'turns the standard picture on its head'

A new analysis suggests honey bees (Apis mellifera) originated in northern Europe, not Asia as is widely thought.  (Image credit: Claudio Cavalensi/Getty Images)

Western honey bees may have first evolved in northern Europe before spreading throughout Asia and Africa, a new analysis suggests.

The new finding, published June 9 in the journal Scientific Reports, upends the traditional view of the bees' origins.