We want to talk about the curiosities of bees, because they are insects fundamental for our planet and for people. Honey has numerous benefits, both topically and as a food. The wax has helped humanity to see in the dark for hundreds of years and, above all, the pollination that it performs helps the entire planet Earth to continue functioning. The day there are no bees, that day we will have to fear what may happen.
For all this, today we are going to talk about these vital little insects. curious and interesting facts that you may not have known about them. And, also, about some Things we humans can do to benefit bees to help them continue to do their important work.
Curiosities of bees
It is known that bees are creatures essential to our planet, since they play a crucial role in the ecosystem and in agriculture. Although it is true that they have sometimes been relegated only to insects that make honey, they are much more than that. They are insects complex in both life and behavior. For this reason, below we bring you some interesting facts about bees.
Facts you didn't know about these vital insects
Today there are More than 20.000 species of bees around the world. The best known of all of them is the honey bee, although others such as solitary bees or bumblebees are equally essential for pollination.
Bees, pollination and ecosystem
Bees are essential pollinators for a large number of plants and crops. Approximately One third of the food we eat depends on bee pollination. For example, fruits such as apples, strawberries and almonds, as well as many vegetables, require pollination. Their work as pollinators not only benefits humans but is also vital for the biodiversity of ecosystems.
Communication
Bees communicate with each otheryes through movements and pheromones in what looks like a kind of buzzing dance. The waggle dance is one of the most characteristic forms of communication. When a bee finds an important source of nectar, it returns to the hive and performs some dance-like movements where it specifies and indicates the direction and distance of said food sourceThis dance is essential for finding food and shows us how complex communication between bees is.
The Hive
Beehives are highly organized societies where there are three types of bees: the queen, the workers and the drones. The queen is the only fertile female and her main function is to lay eggs. The workers are sterile females that perform various tasks, from caring for the young to collecting nectar and pollen to make honey, among other things, but they are also in charge of defending the hive. The drones are males that have the purpose of mating with the queen.
Life of the bee
Worker bees can live between 5 and 6 weeks, while the queen can live up to 5 yearsEach type of bee in a hive has a very clear function and they spend their entire life performing that function.
In the hives, they make honeycombs using the wax produced by their glands. Each of the cells are hexagonal to maximize space and make better use of resources (they need to use less wax). It is a very efficient design.
Hibernation and cold climates
Bees don't actually hibernate, they just form a kind of mass in the hive to keep the heat during cold weather. Bees regroup and feed on the honey they have collected during warm weather, which is why, in beekeeping, honey must always be left for the bees when collecting honey for human consumption.
Honey
Honey is the best known of all the products produced by bees. It also has many antibacterial and antioxidant properties. Another interesting fact is that Honey does not spoil, which is why it has been found intact in Egyptian tombs. buried millions of years ago. This product is the result of the collection of nectar and pollen, which bees deposit in the hives where they convert it into honey through the following process, which is perhaps one of the most interesting curiosities of bees: they take the nectar to the hive where they regurgitate it and beat their wings to dry said nectar and thicken it, in this dehydration process the sugars are concentrated giving rise to honey.
When a cell is full of honey, with the right consistency, the bees seal that cell with wax to preserve it. This It will be the food for the winter season or when the flowers no longer give enough nectar.
What can we do to help bees?
There are various things that we, individuals who are not dedicated to beekeeping or anything similar, can do for the bees. As we will see, they are simple things that anyone with a terrace, roof terrace, garden, balcony, window or place to put plants can do. So, Whether we live in the countryside or in the city, we have something within reach what we can do to help the bees and therefore help the planet.
Plants that benefit bees
Bees have to fly long distances On many occasions, they have small human houses and neighborhoodss areas where to stop It is very beneficial for them. Therefore, to help them we can plant in our garden, terrace, balcony or window some plants that attract bees. Plants where they can rest or even collect pollen to later take to the hive and make honey, wax, propolis, jelly, etc.
Perhaps we are wondering what we can plant that will be beneficial for them. The answer is that there are numerous plants and we can choose the one we like the most. For example: we can put a plant of lavender or mint to scent our balconies and at the same time help the bees. Another option is the calendula which also has flowers that are very beneficial for making ointments. Or perhaps sunflowers and be able to take advantage of its seeds to eat them. The borage, chives, thyme, sage or clover are other good options to have in our gardens, lands or houses.