9 things you did not know about the honey bee

One

The honey bee has been around for millions of years.

Two

Honey Bees are scientifically known as; Apis mellifera, which means “honey-carrying bee”.

Three

Honeybees are environmentally friendly and are vital as pollinators.

Four

Honey, is the only food that includes all the substances necessary to sustain life; including enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and water, and it’s the only food that contains “pinocembrin”, an antioxidant associated with improved brain functionality.

Five

The honeybee’s wings flap so fast at around 200 beats per second, thus making their distinctive buzzing sound.

Six

A colony of bees consists of 20,000–60,000 honeybees and one Queen. The female bees are called worker bees and the males are called drones.

Seven

Only the worker bees sting when they feel threatened and they die soon after. Queen Bees have a stinger, but they don’t leave the hive to help defend it. And drones are stingless bees.

Eight

Honeybees communicate with one another by dancing, also known as the “bee dance”. This is how they tell each other where to find pollen and or water.

Nine

Honey bees do not only produce honey, they also make beeswax, royal jelly and propolis.

So next time you see a honey bee, remember to bee-friendly!

Below is a small video I put together when I was in the process of cleaning old abandoned hives in my apiary.