Bees are some of the most important insects on Earth! They help pollinate plants, make delicious honey, and play a huge role in our ecosystem.
1. Bees have been around for millions of years.
Bees have existed for over 100 million years!
Scientists believe they evolved from wasp-like ancestors and have been helping plants grow since the time of the dinosaurs.
2. There are over 20,000 species of bees.
Not all bees are the same!
There are more than 20,000 different species of bees around the world, but only a few, like the honeybee and bumblebee, are well-known for making honey and pollinating plants.
3. Bees have five eyes.
Bees have two large compound eyes on the sides of their head and three small simple eyes on top of their head.
This helps them see in different directions and detect light changes quickly.
4. A beeโs wings flap super fast!
Bees flap their wings about 200 times per second!
This rapid movement creates the buzzing sound we hear when a bee flies by.
5. Honey never goes off!
Did you know that honey never goes bad?
Archaeologists have found pots of honey in ancient Egyptian tombs that are still edible after thousands of years!
6. Bees communicate through dance.
Bees have a special way of talking to each other called the waggle dance.
They move in patterns to tell other bees where to find food and flowers.
7. Queen bees can lay up to 2,000 eggs a day.
The queen bee is the leader of the hive, and her job is to lay eggs, sometimes up to 2,000 in a single day!
She is the mother of all the worker bees and drones in her colony.
8. Bees are incredible builders.
Bees make their hives out of wax that they produce themselves.
They build perfect hexagonal honeycomb cells, which are the best shape for storing honey and saving space.
9. Bees are in danger!
Sadly, bee populations are declining due to habitat loss, climate change and pesticides.
Many organisations are working to protect bees because they are essential for pollinating food crops and plants.
10. One bee makes only a tiny bit of honey.
A single bee produces only about 1/12th of a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime!
It takes thousands of bees working together to make a jar of honey.
Bees are truly amazing creatures! Next time you see a bee buzzing around, remember how important they are to our planet. Want to help bees? Plant more flowers, avoid using harmful pesticides, and support local honey producers!
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