Insects emerged around 480 million years BCE and were the earliest truly terrestrial animals and pioneers of flight. The first insects were predators, but when flowering plants appeared, some groups began to exploit floral resources for food, leading to mutual coevolutionary adaptations. Bees likely originated from predatory wasps that transitioned to a vegetarian diet, developing specialized features for collecting nectar and pollen. The oldest known bee fossil, Trigona prisca, dates back 96–74 million years, with true honey bee fossils appearing 45 million years ago. While contemporary Apis species are most diverse in Asia, the true area of origin of the genus has not been resolved. The Western honey bee (Apis mellifera), the most widely domesticated honey bee species, originated in the Middle East or Africa approximately two million years ago. Its natural distribution spans across diverse climates in three continents, giving rise to numerous subspecies, each adapted to specific environmental conditions. Evolutionary studies group these subspecies into four major lineages (A, M, C, and O), shaped by climatic and geographic factors. Classification methods for A. mellifera subspecies have progressed from morphometric analyses to advanced genetic tools, including mitochondrial DNA, microsatellites, and SNP markers. These techniques have deepened our understanding of honey bee diversity, adaptation, and evolutionary history, with ongoing developments enhancing their precision.