Facts About Bees
Bees are fascinating little creatures, capable of some truly incredible things! There are over 20,000 types of bees and they are best known for their integral role in pollination. They are one of the most important animals in the ecosystem and without them, mother nature would crumble. But why exactly is this? What makes them so important to our planet and what can we do to make sure they continue to thrive? Read on for some fun facts about bees that will blow your mind!
Facts about Bees
Facts About Bees
Facts About Bees = All worker bees are female #girlpower
While worker bees are female, they are incapable of reproducing. As their name suggests, they do all the work in the hive and control most of what goes on inside. Their main jobs are housekeeping, feeding the queen, drones and larvae, collecting the pollen and nectar, and making the wax.
Facts About Bees = Bees are super important pollinators
Did you know that an astounding 90% of wild plants and 75% of leading global crops depend on animal pollination! This means that one in every three mouthfuls of our food depends on pollinators. Your local fruit and vegetable aisle would be completely empty if bees were to disappear which is why it’s so important for us to preserve them!
Facts About Bees = Bees rely on a transport system to get around
Imagine trying to get anywhere in the UK without a transport system. Sounds like a nightmare right! One of the facts about bees that you may not already be aware of is that they have their own system, known as B-lines. These are a series of “insect roads” running through our towns and countryside. They link wildlife areas together and create a network akin to a railway. Once bees have collected nectar, they take the most direct course to their hive. This is where the term “to make a b-line” comes from.
Facts About Bees =Bees actually have four wings
Contrary to popular belief, bees have four wings! The two wings on each side hook together to form one larger pair when flying and then unhook when they’re not flying.
Facts About Bees =Honeybees have their own dance move
Well…it’s not technically a dance move, more of a way of communicating. It is known as the “waggle dance” and it is a way for them to tell their nestmates where to go to find the best source of food. Researchers at the University of Sussex spent a whole two years trying to decode what this little waggle meant!
Fun Facts about Bees for Kids
Facts About Bees = Bees have smelly feet!
Yes, you read that correctly. Bet you weren’t expecting to read this on this facts about bees list! Some brainy scientists from the University of Bristol have made the bizarre discovery that bumblebees have the strange ability to distinguish between, their own scent, the scent of a relative and the scent of a stranger. In turn, this means that they are more successful in tracking down food and avoiding flowers that have already been pollinated!
Facts About Bees = Bees are surprisingly brainy
One of the more obscure facts about bees. With a brain the size of a poppy seed, the buff-tailed bumblebee is really rather intelligent! Scientists have managed to train them to score a goal in their own version of football using a sugary treat as an incentive. I can’t quite bee-lieve it!
Facts About Bees = There is a Queen Bee
This is the name given to the adult, mated female bee that lives in a honey bee colony or hive. She has fully reproductive organs and is usually the mother of most, if not all, the bees in the hive. Did you know that if a queen bee dies in a honeybee hive, the worker bees can create a new one! This is done by selecting a young larva and feeding it special food known as ‘royal jelly’. How amazing is that!
Fact About Bees = They have a number of surprising homes
Bees are a very adaptable species that can live in a number of different homes. These include marshes, shingle, sand dunes, soft cliffs, heathlands, wetlands, chalk grasslands, quarries, gravel pits, sea walls and even post-industrial land.
Fact About Bees = Bees are fast flyers!
Amazingly, honeybees can reach speeds of up to 25kph by beating their wings around 200 times per second!
Facts About Bees: How can you help them out?
There really is no effort too small when it comes to protecting these little creatures and we should all be doing our bit to prevent them from becoming extinct. Here is a small list of simple ways you can help out.
Plant a bee garden
Among the largest threats to bees is their lack of safe habitat. If you want to create a bee garden, you don’t need a tonne of space, just a small garden full of bee-friendly plants and nutritious food sources for them.
Go chemical-free
It goes without saying that chemicals such as pesticides, fertilisers and herbicides are very harmful to bees and their sensitive systems. Try using organic products and natural solutions such as compost to keep pests away.
Provide trees for bees
What you may not know is that most bees gather their nectar from trees! They are not only a great source of food for them but also an essential habitat with natural wood cavities creating excellent shelters. With the sad increase in deforestation and development happening globally, you can help create homes for them by planting trees of your own or simply caring for trees and joining tree-planting societies in your area.
Teach the importance of bees to your children
As the future guardians of our planet, your children are among the most important groups of people responsible for protecting the bees. Inspire them with fun lessons, activities and create some buzz about how they can help! There are loads of free resources all over the internet so you have every excuse to educate your children into becoming little eco-warriors!
