25 Facts You Did Not Know About Bees

Bees love their peace and tranquility. They rarely sting human beings and animals. As much as possible, these creatures do not like to sting. Because if they do, it would mean instant death. Did you know that a bee’s stinger is directly connected to its guts? Once it stings a human being or an animal then pulls out, it would be like ripping out its insides. Within a few hours, they face their timely demise. There are hundreds of facts that we do not know about bees.

To start, here are 25 facts you should know about these creatures:

1. Beekeeping is the process of cultivating bees and turning them into a source of income. Usually, beekeepers breed honeybees so they can harvest honey for trading and business. Did you know that beekeeping started 4,500 years ago? Most of you think that beekeeping is a new and innovated source of living. However, historians report that beekeeping has been one of the most common professions in earlier times. It just got easier now that we have protective gears to prevent stinging bees. I can only imagine the hardship of beekeeping without the protection of the tools and garments we have now. 

2. Bees play a huge role in the ecosystem. These creatures are reported to be the best pollinators in the world. Without their help, animals and humans will have a scarcity of food. According to researchers, 1/3 of the food we eat is the result of the pollination of bees. 

3. The queen bee can lay up to 2,500 eggs in one day! As they grow up, they learn to work for the colony and serve their queen. Did you know that a single bee can produce an estimate of 1/2 teaspoon in its lifetime? It seems to be a very small amount. But if you combine the honey produced by thousands of bees, you would be surprised how much they can make in a day.

4. Bees do not buzz. Their wings do. Honey bees can beat their wings up to 200 times per second. That’s where they get their iconic "buzz" sound. Did you know that they can visit 50 to 100 flowers in a single collection trip? No wonder why they are so good at pollinating. 

5. Most insects sleep during the night. However, bees do not. Instead, they just spend their nights motionless in their hives to conserve energy until the sun rises. Did you know that there have been sightings of bees resting inside flowers? 

6. Honey never gets spoiled! Never! Archaeologists found some honey in King Tut’s tomb and when they tasted it, it was still good to eat. 

7. There are three types of bees in a colony, the queen bee, the worker bees, and the drones. The drones are the male bees which only exist for mating the queen. After they do their part, they die out of a mission accomplished. Mating with the queen causes the drone’s endophallus to detach from its body. When it does, it will be like ripping their stomach from the inside out. 

8. The queen, on the other hand, goes on a mating flight during ovulation. In this process, she leaves the hive and mates with at most 45 drones. The queen bee stores the drones’ sperm in her spermatheca and keeps it as a lifetime supply. Did you know that the queen can accumulate up to 75 million sperms in one mating? Sadly, the queen only has one chance to go on a mating flight in her lifetime. 

9. Did you know that the bee venom is more lethal than the cobra venom? Don't fret! Bees rarely sting. They only use their stingers when it is a matter of life and death. Plus, it takes 19 stings for every kilogram of an individual for the venom to become deadly. 

10. In small doses, researchers cultivate bee venom to treat different illnesses such as arthritis and heart illnesses. 

11. Do you ever wonder how bees communicate with each other? These creatures, along with ants, secrete pheromones to signal their colony many different things. There is an odor for mating, for food, for danger, even death. According to researchers, bees produce over 170 odors to signal their companions about anything. 

12. Here’s another interesting fact! Did you know that bees have two stomachs? The first one for eating. The second one for storing nectar. 

13. A beehive is perennial. Meaning, it becomes inactive during the cold weather. This is the time when the drones and some of their workers die from the cold. They do their best to keep the hive warm and succulent, enough to feed the queen and her young until spring comes. We discussed how fast queen bees can lay eggs in one day. So, it is actually quite easy to replace the fallen bees during the winter.

14. It is a common fact that dogs have a very strong sense of smell. Guess what creature has 50 times more powerful sense of smell than dogs. Bees! 

15. Did you know that each bee colony has its own distinct smell? This is beneficial in helping the members track one another and identify whether a species is a friend or a foe.

16. All of us know Winnie the Pooh. His stories gave us the expression that bears love eating honey. Little do we know that they prefer something else - the bee larvae. The honey is just a part of the process of looking for younger bees. 

17. In beauty blogs, we often see honey as a remedy for pimples. This is because of its antioxidant and antibacterial properties. Did you know that honey can also be used to dress wounds? During World War I, honey was used to treat the wounds of soldiers no matter how severe it was. It has been proven to ease the swelling and prevent any infection from dirt and bacteria in the field. 

18. Apiculture is the science of beekeeping. Do you ever wonder why the beekeepers make their suits white? This is because bees react strongly and aggressively to dark colors. Nobody knows the exact reason why. But if you were to avoid bee stings, it's best to wear light colors.

19. In recent years, there is a rise in popularity in beekeeping in urban areas, particularly in the United Kingdom. Did you know that during summer, the bee population outnumbers the human population 30 to 1?

20. Bees are studied nowadays to be a possible cure for dementia. According to scientists, when a younger bee takes over the job of an old worker bee, its brain stops aging. Could this be the answer to the prevention and cure for dementia? 

21. Queens in colonies can become extremely competitive. In a hive, when a new queen rises, it’s the main goal is to kill all existing queens in the hive - both hatched or unhatched. 

22. Did you know that Gregor Mendel, the Father of Genetics tried to create a strain of hybrid bees? After a few days, he found that they have become vicious and poisonous to human beings. Eventually, he had them all exterminated. 

23. In a very interesting research in Australia, scientists found that honeybees can distinguish human faces. The bees were shown black and white pictures of people they encountered. Surprisingly, they were able to pinpoint the people they saw from the people they didn't. 

24. There are countries all over the world that experience colony collapse disorder. This is a devastating event that causes millions of bees to die each year. Entomologists fear that this could mean the extinction of honeybees. This is why different agencies and advocates are raising awareness about the importance of bees in the environment. They continuously promote beekeeping in certain parts of the globe to cultivate bee population and avoid extinction.  

25. Each bee has its own job inside the hive. Did you know that there is a position called the “undertaker bee?” Anybody who is assigned to this job is responsible for eliminating or disposing of the dead members out of the colony. 

Call For Professional Help

Although bees are very important creatures in the environment, they can become a nuisance to human beings from time to time. When this happens, call for your local pest exterminator in Denver, NC.

Lake Norman Pest Control offers an affordable service plan that covers the interior and exterior portions of your home, eliminating all kinds of insects. With the help of their highly-skilled exterminators, you can rest assured you will have the pest-free life you deserve in just a couple of sessions.