Bee Life

​The bee species run in the thousands, over 16,000 to be specific. Most people are only aware of the honey bee. When you say the word bee the honey bee comes to mind for most people. Yet, the honey bee runs with the five to four percent called social bees. Most of the bees in a hive, which can be as many as 80,000, are females.  There are very few male bees in a hive, and they all have a short lifespan. Their only purpose is to mate with the queen, and die from the experience. 

The Queen bee was once thought, in modern times, to be a king bee? Yes! Up on till about the 1600s,
​people thought the queen bee was a king. It was not until Jan Swammerdam, a Dutch scientist, discovered that the oversized bee had ovaries that she was revealed a queen.

​ Honey is the food of honey-bees, and is known to draw and captivate moisture; thus, it was once used to treat wounds during wartime. The honey bee is truly an amazing insect; it is the only one that makes food than can be consumed by humans. Her wings buzz as she approaches, a result of all four wings moving at a speed of 11, 400 flaps per minute.

 The queen bee is protected at all times. If you were to open the brood box where the queen bee reside, you may notice how the other bees surround and cover her. There can only be one queen bee in a hive. The newly emerged queen will seek out and kill all other queens, whether they have hatched or is still in the queen cell. There can only be one.
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Bees help us survive here on earth with pollination. The male portion of the flower pollen is transported on the bee to the female portion; this is how a plant grow seeds and fruits. So next time you see a bee give thanks.