This is the fifth and final issue of the 60th volume of the Journal of Apicultural Research (JAR) - an excellent opportunity to reflect on the highlights in honey bee research and revise the latest developments of our journal. In this extended editorial, we briefly review the importance of JAR in a historical context, followed by the latest developments in the field of honey bee research in terms of main contributors and topics. Then, we look into the latest developments of JAR regarding its impact. Finally, we share our view on the future topics in bee research and conclude by thanking all involved parties for the ongoing success of JAR.