BEES μέλισσα

Bees live in colonies. Each colony contains between and bees…

…which are divided in three types: 1 queen bee, up to 500 drones and to worker bees.

All drones are male. The workers and the queen are both female, but only the queen bee can reproduce.

Anatomy of a bee:

Bees store their poison in a sac attached to their stinger, but only female bees can sting.

Bees see all colours except the colour red.

That and their sense of smell help them to find the flowers they need to collect pollen.

Pollen are a food source for bees as well as the nectar of the flowers.

Some of the pollen are dropped in flight so they pollinate other flowers. The relationship between the plant and the insect is called symbiosis.

Types of bees: Bumble Bee They are very social bees and live in large "families". Bumble bees often nest in the ground, but can be found above ground around patio areas or decks.

Bumble Bee

Carpenter Bee They build nests just for themselves and only feed their own young. They get their name from their ability to drill through wood. Carpenter bees bore through soft woods to lay eggs and protect their larvae as they develop.

Carpenter Bee

Honey Bee Honey bees live in large "families" and are found all over the world. The honey bee is the only social insect whose colony can survive many years because they huddle together and eat honey to keep themselves alive during the winter months. Honeybee nests have different sizes. They typically build their nests in trees, but will occasionally build nests in chimneys.

Honey Bee

African “Killer” Bee The African Honey bee, also known as the "killer bee" lives in South America and the Western and Southern United States. They are known to chase people for over a quarter of a mile once they get excited and aggressive. Even though they are called "Killer" bees, their venom is not more dangerous than regular honey bees, but they attack in big groups. Africanized bees have small colonies, so they can build nests in unique places.

African “Killer” Bee

Beekeepers use protective clothes and smoke to calm bees when they are collecting honey or relocating a nest.

How bees make honey: 0Ev0o