The term "bee" (Apiformes) is used for several families in the order Hymenoptera. When people speak of bees they tend to mean honey bees and yet it is estimated that bee species number approximately 20, 000 in total, 700 of which can be found in Europe. In Germany there are about 500 species of bees. The oldest bee fossils date back to 80 million years ago.
Bee on a blue flower
The body of the bee - as normally is the case with all insects - comprises three parts: head, chest, abdomen. The facial features include - eyes, two sensors which serve as a nose, mouth and mouth parts comprising two strong mandibles (jaws) and a proboscis. There are two pairs of thin wings and six legs attached to the chest. But the largest part of the body, the yellow-black ringed abdomen with the poisonous sting, is the hallmark of the bee. Bee species with poisonous stings are part of the Aculeata group.
Mason Bee
Bees are vegetarians, mainly living on sweet plant juice. Pollen serves as their supply of protein. Some bees live in colonies. Most of the bees are solitary. Sometimes solitary bees live in small commons. The small commons primarily enable the solitary bees to rear their offspring together and temporarily to protect themselves. Even sleeping, hibernation and guards groups are formed. Bees which live in colonies however, are nontransient, socially sophisticated and almost perfectly organised.
For humans primarily the honey bee is of interest. There are 9 different species : Apis dorsata laboriosa, Dwarf honey bee (Apis florea), Giant honey bee (Apis dorsata), western honey bee (Apis mellifera), Asian red honey bee (Apis koschevnikovi), Apis nigrocincta, Dwarf bush bee (Apis andreniformis), Eastern honey bee (Apis cerana) and the Asian mountain bee (Apis nuluensis).
Andrena on a flower
Various bee species, including honey bees, store food to ensure the survival of the entire colony in times of food shortage (winter, the rainy season in the tropics). During the winter a beehive needs to maintain a minimum temperature of 10 degrees Celsius, otherwise the entire colony would die. The food stock of bees (honey) is edible even at very low temperatures.
