Bees

Why Are They Beneficial?

Bees play an important role in pollination and they’re the only insect that produce food commonly eaten by humans! Besides pollinating, this insect provides us with honey and beeswax, which is used in making candles, polishes, inks and cosmetics.

Bee Biology

Bees have four wings and six legs, but characteristics differ among different types of bees. A bee injects its venom through the stinger, and the bee dies when its stinger is used due to the barbs of the stinger holding fast in the victim’s skin.

Bee colonies have a highly organized social structure consisting of three types of members: queen, drones and workers. The queen has the highest authority and is the only one that lays the eggs in the colony. There are approximately 20,000 different species of bees. Types found in Canada include: honey, bumble, orchid, halistid, leafcutting and carpenter bee.

Where to Find Bees?

Bees are dormant in the winter and are most active in spring through out mid-fall. In the wild they live in tree hollows or other cavities. A single hive can contain approximately 40,000-45,000 bees. Bees are commonly bred for honey production or for flower pollination. You can find them in your yard and garden, flying around flowers and plants.

Bee Facts

Bees have been producing honey for at least 150 million years; the honey is used as a food source in the winter instead of flowers. Honeybees visit about two million flowers to make one pound of honey. Think about that before you swat your next bee!