Honeybee: The Striped Flying Sweet Tooth

The honeybee, also known as Apis mellifera, is a flying insect that is often associated with sticky, sweet honey. It is a member of the Apidae family, which also includes bumblebees and carpenter bees, but none of them are as productive (or as tasty) as the honeybee.

Anatomy of a Honeybee

A honeybee is a small insect with a striped, yellow and black body, resembling a tiny flying barcode scanner. Its wings are thin, translucent, and buzz louder than an early morning alarm clock. The bee’s primary job is to collect nectar from flowers and transform it into honey using its unique, honey-making stomach.

Their legs are equipped with tiny hairs that help them stick to walls, flowers, and sometimes even humans. Their antennae are their feelers and help them communicate with their hive-mates and navigate to their next sweet treat.

The Life of a Honeybee

A honeybee goes through a complete metamorphosis, starting as an egg, transitioning to a larva, then pupa, and finally, a supercharged adult worker bee. This is why it’s a common turn of phrase to say, “I’m too busy, I’m worker-beeing!”

Worker bees are the ones responsible for almost all of the important jobs in their hive. They collect nectar, pollen, and water, and transform them into honey, beeswax, and royal jelly. They also feed the larvae and protect and maintain the hive.

If you’re ever wondering who’s in charge in a honeybee hive, it’s undoubtedly the Queen bee. She may not be the busiest bee in the hive, but she is undoubtedly the most important one. She’s responsible for populating the hive and can lay up to 2,000 eggs per day- gotta keep that colony going! She’s also served by male drones- but let’s be honest, they mostly just fly around lurking for their next queen bride opportunity.

Fun Facts about Honeybees

• Honeybees are the only insect that produces food that we eat- thanks for the toast topper bees!
• A honeybee has five eyes- two large compound eyes and three tiny ocelli eyes that they use for navigation (or to cheat at hide and seek).
• They communicate with each other using a wiggle dance known as the “waggle dance.” It’s like the macarena, but with more purpose!
• Every year, honeybees kill more people than sharks- but don’t let that scare you, they’re just trying to protect their hive.
• Honeybees are a vital part of our ecosystem and help pollinate one-third of the food we eat every day. So next time you enjoy a delicious fruit or vegetable, make sure to thank a honeybee!

In conclusion, honeybees are a critical creature in our world, responsible for keeping our flowers, fruits, and vegetables growing, not to mention the sweet, sticky, sweet sweet honey- which all bears love. So next time you see a bee buzzing around, show it some love, and remember all of the hard work they do.