Everything you ever wanted to know about bees is right here!
Cool Stuff!
​
There are nearly 4,000 wild native bee species that live in North America and they evolved alongside native flowers. These bees have the know-how to pollinate more efficiently than non-native bees such as the honey bee. Native bees are better pollinators; 250 blue orchard bees are able to pollinate an acre of apple trees as effectively as 40,000 honey bees. The squash bee emergence coincides with the blossoming of the squash flower. Though other bees are drawn to the surplus reservoirs of nectar, the squash bee alone ensures successful pollination for a bountiful harvest of pumpkins.
​
Honey bees, although one of the most popular bees, represent only a small percent of bee species. Honey bees are the only surviving group of bees from the Apini tribe, which is under the Apisgenus. They are known for producing and storing honey, or liquefied sugar, as well as building impressively large nests using wax secreted by workers in a particular colony.
The honey bee is one member of the insect class Insecta. These insects are members of the subfamily Apinae, which produce and store liquefied sugar, otherwise known as honey.