There’s so much more to beekeeping than getting traditional honey bees. If you’re interested in finding the perfect bee for your buzzing needs, then this is the guide for you! Learn all about the different types of bees out there, from stingless bees to bumblebees, so that you can decide which of their special talents can help you create the perfect blend of buzzing sweetness.
1. The Magnificent World of Bees: A Guide
Since the dawn of time, bees have been inspiring our imaginations—their cooperation, their power of flight and the delicious honey they produce. And yet, despite their mighty role in nature, their incredible lives remain fascinatingly mysterious. In this guide, we’ll introduce you to the magnificent world of bees and explore the many incredible ways they contribute to the world around us.
The Buzz Around: Bees are fascinatingly complex creatures, and their importance to nature is undeniable. Their wings make them capable of powerful flight and their hive-style living provides an entertaining background for observation. Not to mention, every hive is home to an untold amount of species, each with their own purpose and important role to play. From worker bees all the way up to queen bees, the cross-section of the bees in a given hive is sure to captivate any observer.
The Sweetness of Honey: Although there are countless reasons to study and understand bees, their importance in the culinary world should not be overlooked. Whether it’s as an aid to a sweet recipe, or a simple tea-time snack, honey is tapped directly from the hive and is likely the most economically impactful product produced by bees. Not only is honey a valuable source of income in many parts of the world, the vitamins and minerals it provides makes it an indispensible part of our diet.
Living in Harmony with Bees: Somehow, despite a number of people’s fear of bees, these creatures are our allies and a vital part of our delicate eco-system. While bees may be feared for their sting, in actuality, they rarely sting humans unless provoked—so it’s best to stay clear of their hive unless absolutely necessary. Further, protecting bee populations from things like pesticides and habitat loss is paramount to ensuring the health and sustainability of our planet.
- Bees are fascinatingly complex creatures
- Their hive-style living provides an entertaining background for observation
- Honey is tapped directly from the hive and is likely the most economically impactful product produced by bees
- Protecting bee populations from things like pesticides and habitat loss is paramount to ensuring the health and sustainability of our planet
2. Bees, Bees Everywhere: Who are They?
Bees are some of the most well-known insects, running nearly the entire spectrum of size, color and species. From the small bumblebees in northeast North America to honeybees in Europe, bees can be found in almost any corner of the world.
This begs the question: who are these buzzing little bugs, and what’s their purpose?
- Pollinators: Bees play a critical role in pollinating plants and helping our ecosystem bloom. By transferring pollen from plants of the same species, bees help plants reproduce and grow.
- Honey Producers: Some species of bee like honeybees actually produce honey. This delicious treat is created when bees prepare a mixture of nectar and bee saliva, which they then store in the beehive.
- Defenders: Bees can be fiercely protective of their hives and will often attack potential attackers with their stingers if they feel their hive is threatened.
Whether you love or fear these insects, bees will continue to play a critical role in the world’s ecosystem and their importance should never be underestimated.
3. Social Superstars: How Do Honeybees Live?
As fascinating and unique creatures, honeybees play an essential role in nature’s balance. To understand how honeybees live, let’s take a look into their day-to-day activities and their relationship with the environment.
Workers
Honeybees are hardworking, resilient and organized. In their colonies, it is often divided into three different types – The queen, the drones, and the workers. The workers are female bees and are the largest group in the hive. Their main tasks involve collecting nectar, water, and food for their colony, building and repairing honeycombs, and defending the hive.
Collecting Honey
Honeybees are responsible for pollinating plants and harvesting honey. They collect nectar and pollen from flowers, spreading their wings wide to cover the surface of flower petals. The nectar is then combined with the bee’s saliva and stored in the comb. This action triggers a ripening process that transforms the nectar into honey.
Communication
An astonishing feature of honeybees is their communication skills. Honeybee colonies rely on a complex language, with bees using dance as their primary means of communication. These dances involve ‘waggle-dancing’, which allow bees to share details about the location, quality, and type of nectar they have found.
Susceptibility to Disease
Honeybees face many threats and diseases, the most notorious being the Varroa Destructor Mite. The mites attach themselves to bees and weaken them by feeding off their blood. To make matters worse, intensive farming, deforestation and climate change are also harming the bees’ habitats.
4. Not Just for Honey: Bumblebees and their Impact
Though Bumblebees are most widely known for their use of flowers for collecting nectar and pollen for food, this species of bee has far greater impacts and is even more vital to the Earth’s ecosystem.
- Pollinator of plants: Bumblebees are the most important pollinators, playing an extremely important role in crop and food production. They can transfer pollen between plants to fertilize them and help them reproduce, in turn providing a source of food for other organisms. Without bumblebees, much of the agricultural influence of flowers and other plants would be lost.
- Protection of different species: Bumblebees are also instrumental in protecting other species of wildlife. The nests they create provide nesting and breeding sites for other organisms such as beetles, spiders, and butterflies. Bumblebees are also a food source for various species, supplying vital sustenance.
Bumblebees also benefit other species by controlling the pest populations in a particular area. By foraging for nectar and pollen, bumblebees reduce the number of pests that can damage and destroy crops.
Bumblebees also provide an important educational purpose, as many schools and universities study these bees to gain insights into the workings of the natural environment. Through these studies, students and professionals alike can learn more about the process of pollination and how it affects the environment.
5. Nature’s Greatest Weapons: Wasps and Hornets
Wasps and hornets might not be our natural first thoughts when it comes to nature’s greatest weapons, but they are formidable forces not to be trifled with!
At the top of the list, wasps display very effective hunting tactics. They typically hunt for other insects, although larger wasps can target bigger prey. Wasps use a combination of speed and agility to capture prey, including a powerful sting that incapacitates the victim.
Hornets, tough cousins to wasps and bees, have several unique attributes that make them powerful predators. Their hard exoskeletonis extremely tough, making it difficult for attackers to penetrate their armor. They are also aptly equipped with large mandibles that can deliver a powerful bite, and a potent venomous stinger. This venomous sting is a key attribute, when used against predators or prey.
- Wasps: Fast, agile hunters that use a sharp sting to take down victims.
- Hornets: Thick exoskeletons, powerful mandibles and venomous stingers.
Wasps and hornets may not be the most feared forces of nature, but their combination of force, power and effective hunting tactics make them worthy adversaries. With their various advantages and defensive capabilities, they remain two of nature’s greatest weapons.
6. Solitary Samaritans: Understanding Mining and Mason BeesMining and mason bees are solitary pollinators who might go unnoticed due to their modest size, but they supply a reliable source of hard work and pollination to any garden. Whether they’re mining dirt to build a nest, or they’re hard at work gathering nectar from flowers, these busy workers are not to be underestimated.
Mining Bee Nest
Mining bees begin their nest-building process by digging deep tunnels into the ground. The tunnel is then filled with five or six eggs that the female deposited, a ball of pollen, and a thin layer of mud to help with insulation.
- Alkali Bee
The most common of the mining bees is the Alkali Bee. It is highly specialized for pollinating colors that grow in alkaline soils such as onions, cabbage, carrots, and asparagus. - Nomad Bee
Nomad bees on the other hand, are very active and mobile bees. These bees move around frequently and continually build new tunnels while they are looking for new nesting places.
Mason Bee Nests
Mason bees are unique in their way of building nests, as they use mud to construct small cells that look a bit like mud bricks. Mason bees typically use hollow stems in their nests, where the bee lays an egg, brings in pollen, and seals off the cell with mud.
- Teddy Bear Bee
The Teddy Bear Bee is one of the most recognizable mason bee species. It is this species of bee that is known for its gentle demeanor, as it rarely ever stings and is less likely to react if threatened. - Leaf Cutter Bee
The Leaf Cutter Bee is noticeably unique. As its name suggests, this bee cuts up leaves and brings them to its nest, where they use the pieces to line their brood cells. This is because the bee needs an airtight seal for its eggs.
7. Helpful Hoverers: Uncovering the Life of Hoverflies
- Hoverflies, commonly known as flowerflies, are small insects that are commonly found near flowering plants. This makes them #1 on the beneficial insects list, as they help pollinate flowers and other plants.
- Their body shape is adapted for hovering in the air, enabling them to find food easily and pollinate flowers. They have a unique wing pattern that identifies any one species.
- Once adult hoverflies emerge, they seek out flowers and nectar.
- Mating soon follows, and the female hoverfly then lays eggs on the underside of leaves near water.
- The eggs then hatch into larvae, which feed for several weeks.
- The larvae then transform into pupae, and eventually emerge as adult hoverflies.
- Plant local species of flowers. These are adapted to coexist with the type of bees native to your area, so this will help create an environment where they can thrive.
- Avoid using pesticides, herbicides, and artificial fertilizers. These often have negative effects on bees and can even make them sick.
- Encourage your neighbors, friends, and family in bee conservation. Share your ideas, create a bee garden, and talk to your local government about how they can help.
- Create bee-friendly habitats in your backyard. This includes plenty of flowers, water, and nesting sites for various types of bees.
- Purchase locally produced honey, as it is often healthier and helps support local beekeepers.
- Avoid removing previously established bee habitats in your area. This includes cutting down shrubs and trees which may have played host to nests.
- Support organizations which help research and advocate for bee conservation. This could include signing petitions or donating.
- Get educated: attend lectures or conferences, read books and articles, or take a course. This will increase your awareness and help you share your knowledge with others.
But this isn’t all there is to hoverflies. Not only are they helpful around the garden, there are some fascinating facts which can be discovered upon closer examination.
Voluntary Migration: Like birds, some species of hoverflies migrate twice a year. In spring they travel south, and return to the north in summer.
Colorful Abdomen: Their abdomens can be brightly colored, ranging from yellow, to orange, to brown.
But what really sets hoverflies apart is their lifescycle. The larvae can be found in moist areas, like near streams and ponds. They feed on decaying matter and help keep the environment healthy.
The hoverfly’s life cycle is an intricate process that is yet another testament to the unique design of these buzzing pollinators.
8. Conservation for Everyone: Bee Conservation Strategies
Bees play an important role in helping plants reproduce, providing us with a very vital ecosystem service. But, not surprisingly, the world’s bee population is in decline, making it essential that we think of creative conservation strategies. Here are 8 ways to help conserve bees:
Of course, everyone can help in ensuring the future of bees. While this list may not cover all aspects of bee conservation, it serves as a useful foundation for anyone looking to get started.
With so many incredible species, it’s no wonder bees are among the most buzzworthy of all insects! From the tiny solitary species to the powerful honey bee and bumble bee, every bee plays an important role in keeping the environment healthy. Now that you’ve read this guide, you’ll have a far greater appreciation of all the different bee types and the essential services they provide!
