ăpis or -es, is, f. (nom. sing. apis, Ov. M. 13, 928; Petr. Fragm. 32, 7; Col. 9, 3, 2; 9, 12, 1.—The form apes is given in Prisc. p. 613 and 703 P., and Prob. 1470 ib. as the prevailing one, to which the dim. apicula is no objection, since fides also has fidicula.—The gen. plur. varies between -ium and -um. The form apium is found, Varr. R. R. 3, 16, 14; Liv. 4, 33, 4; 27, 23, 3; 38, 46, 5; Col. 9, 3, 3; 9, 9, 1 al.; Plin. 8, 42, 64, § 158; 11, 7, 7, § 7; 11, 11, 11, § 27; 11, 16, 16, § 46; 17, 27, 44, § 255 al.; Just. 13, 7, 10; Ov. M. 15, 383; Juv. 13, 68: the form apum, Liv. 21, 46, 2; 24, 10, 11; Col. 8, 1, 4; 9, 2, 2; Pall. Apr. 8, 2; id. Jun. 7, 1; Aug. 7. Of the seven examples in Cicero, Ac. 2 (Luc.), 17, 54; 2, 38, 120; Div. 1, 33, 73; Sen. 15, 54; Off. 1, 44, 157; Har. Resp. 12, 25 bis, the form apium is quite certain or has preponderating MS. authority) [kindred with old Germ. Bia, Imbi; Germ. Biene, Imme; Engl. bee],
a bee : apis aculeus, Cic. Tusc. 2, 22, 52: sicut apes solent persequi, Vulg. Deut. 1, 44: examen apium, a swarm of , Cic. Har. Resp. 12, 25: examen apum, Liv. 24, 10, 11, and Vulg. Jud. 14, 8: apes leves, Tib. 2, 1, 49; so Verg. G. 4, 54: florilegae, Ov. M. 15, 366: melliferae, id. ib. 15, 387: parcae, frugal , Verg. G. 1, 4: apis sedula, the busy bee , Ov. M. 13, 298 (cf. Hor. Ep. 1, 3, 21): apum reges (their sovereign being regarded by the ancients as a male), Col. 9, 10, 1; so Verg. G. 4, 68 et saep.: Attica apis, Ov. Tr. 5, 4, 30: fingunt favos, Cic. Off. 1, 44, 157: confingunt favos, Plin. 11, 5, 4, § 11: condunt examina, Verg. G. 2, 452: exeunt ad opera, Plin. 11, 6, 5, § 14: insidunt floribus, Verg. A. 6, 708: tulit collectos femine flores, Ov. M. 13, 928: mellificant, Plin. 11, 18, 19, § 59: mella faciunt, id. ib.: stridunt, Verg. G. 4, 556.— Their habits are described in Varr. R. R. 3, 16 sqq.; Verg. G. 4, 1 sqq.; Col. 9, 2 sqq.; Plin. 11, 5 sqq.; Pall. 1, 37 sqq. al.