Fun facts about Bees
May 20th is world bee day! Bees might have short, determined lives yet they can accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. Here are 15 facts about our brilliant honey producers.
- Every 1 in 3 bites comes from bees! That is, assuming that you’re not eating meat!
2. Bees produce 2 or 3 times more honey than they need, so we can eat the extra!
3. Queen bees can lay 2,500 eggs a day
4. The average worker bee only lives 5-6 weeks
5. Bees beat their wings 200 times per second
6. Queen bees can live up to 5 years!
7. Because worker bees buzz, queen bees communicate by tooting!
8. Bees actually have 4 wings : sets of 2 that appear like a single, larger pair.
9. Buff tailed bumblebees have brains the size of a poppy seed.
10. Bees perform a ‘waggle dance’ to communicate locations!
11. Bees have been known to solve puzzles, play, and score goals in ‘bee football’
12. By feeding larva ‘royal jelly’ young bees can become queen bees
13. Not all bees come with hives! Most solitary bees live in the ground
14. Bees use their smelly feet to distinguish themselves, relatives, and enemies
15. World bee day is the day the pioneer of bee keeping Anton Janša was baptized
Bees are such a big part of the environment. We rely on them for our food and natural sweeteners. Unfortunately, bee populations are decreasing due to climate changes and urban development. Anyone can help save the bees from pesticides and lawn mowing, so I hope you’ll do the same!
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Bee_Day
https://www.wwf.org.uk/learn/fascinating-facts/bees
https://www.natgeokids.com/au/discover/animals/insects/honey-bees/
