蜂族是一类飞行昆虫，与黄蜂和蚂蚁是近亲，它们最出名的行为是传递花粉以及生产蜂蜜和蜂蜡。蜂族是蜜蜂总科中的一个单源分类。已发现的蜂族成员有将近20000种，归入九个已确认的科。它们在除了南极洲之外的陆地上都有分布，在所有有开花植物的地方都能生存。

蜂族的食物是花蜜和花粉，花蜜为主要能量来源，而以花粉来提供蛋白质和其他营养素。花粉也是蜂族幼虫的食物。

蜂族有长的口器，可以吸取花朵中的花蜜。蜂族的触角几乎都是公的13节，母的12节，是这个总科中典型的情形。蜂族都有二对翅膀，较小的那一对是隐翅，极少数的蜂族其某一性别或是某一阶级的翅膀很小，因此无法飞行，但所有的蜂族都还是有翅膀。

Bees are flying insects closely related to wasps and ants, known for their role in pollination and, in the case of the best-known bee species, the European honey bee, for producing honey and beeswax. Bees are a monophyletic lineage within the superfamily Apoidea, presently considered as a clade Anthophila. There are nearly 20,000 known species of bees in seven to nine recognized families, though many are undescribed and the actual number is probably higher. They are found on every continent except Antarctica, in every habitat on the planet that contains insect-pollinated flowering plants.