A welcome sight in our gardens throughout the summer, bees are often busy collecting nectar and pollen to feed their colony. They are a crucial part of our eco-system, enabling plants to pollinate and thrive.
The bee is a beautiful symbol that is used on a wide range of gifts. We have taken a close look into what makes the bee unique and special, with some suprising facts that you may not have known.
Bees live in colonies or hives
The colony is split into 3 sections - the queen, workers and drones
If you see a bee that is struggling, you can give it an energy boost with some sugar water
Bees actually have 4 wings! There are 2 wings on each side which hook together to make a larger one
Honeybees are important pollinators for plants, fruits and vegetables
Honeybees communicate by performing a ‘waggledance’
Bees leave scented footprints wherever they go, so they can identify who other bees are and know to avoid flowers where they have already visited
Worker bees can create a new queen by choosing a larvae and feeding it special royal jelly which will help to make them extra fertile
A queen can lay up to 2500 eggs per day
Bees can fly at a speed of 25km per hour
The buzzing insect beats their wings around 200 times per second
They have an amazing sense of smell, having 170 odorant receptors
A bee has 5 eyes
A queen can live for up to 5 years
Lavender and bluebells are high in nectar, so perfect for planting in the garden to attract bees
Over 270 species of bee have been recorded in Great Britain
Bees have been declining in numbers due to climate change, disease, pesticides, pollution and loss of habitat
Bees mate high up in the sky
After mating, the male will lose his reproductive organs and die
There are 200 species of solitary bee in the UK which need individual nests to live in
Bees make 2 or 3 times more honey than they need to survive, which is why humans are able to use it
Bees do not sleep! They remain motionless in order to preserve energy
A bee will sting when frightened or in order to protect their colony
It is true that a bee will die after they have had their stinger lance removed
In the summer there can be up to 40,000 bees in a hive. This can fall to 5000 in the winter
With all these fascinating facts, it's not hard to see why bees are such popular insects. If you know someone who just loves bees, then why not take a look at our wonderful range of bee gifts?
