BEE

Bees are flying insects, classified in the super family Apoidea of the suborder Apocrita, which also includes wasps and ants, that feed on flower nectar (as a source of energy thanks to its sugar content) and pollen (as a source of protein, mostly used to feed larvae), an activity that results in the pollination of flowers and, in some cases, the production of honey and wax.

Thus the pollen that they inevitably lose in their movement from flower to flower is important to the plants because some of the pollen falls on the pistil (reproductive structure) of other flowers of the same species, leading to cross-pollination. Bees are, in fact, the most important insect pollinators and their interdependence with plants makes them an excellent example of a type of symbiosis known as 'mutualism', an association between different organisms that is mutually beneficial.

On the other hand, some bee species produce honey from nectar. Honey bees and bees without needles collect large quantities of honey, a characteristic that is exploited by beekeepers who harvest honey for human consumption.

Bees are found all over the world, except in the highest altitudes, the polar regions and some small oceanic islands. The greatest diversity of bee species is found in warm, arid and semi-arid regions, South America and Mexico.

Most bees have a black body with yellow-green stripes, grayish-transparent wings, and an entirely black head. The number of known species is about 20,000 but there are probably many more still waiting to be discovered.

Each hive has a group of bees, called a family, whose role is to care for and feed the queen, the brood and the hive in general. A bee family is made up of: queen, worker bees and drone bees.

Bees have antennae composed (in almost all species) of twelve segments in females and thirteen in males. They also have two pairs of wings (the front pair being larger). Some castes may have smaller (non-functional) wings, but no species is wingless.

Bees have antennae composed (in almost all species) of twelve segments in females and thirteen in males. They also have two pairs of wings (the front pair being larger). Some castes may have smaller (non-functional) wings, but no species is wingless.

Due to the intense activity, the lifespan of the bees is 27-30 days during harvest and 40-60 days in spring and autumn. In cold seasons, when they are not involved in harvesting, feeding and brood care, bees can live up to 7-9 months. A bee that has stung a human or animal dies, because along with the sting, part of the digestive tract is ruptured.