You probably know that bees are often mentioned in various sources and platforms as unique and beneficial creatures. But why do you think bees are important? And what exactly is beekeeping? We have prepared the answers to all these questions and more as a list for you this time. How about taking a look at these 20 valuable facts that will surely surprise you?
Although humanity has made great strides in natural sciences, there is still much unknown about bees to the public. The life cycle of these creatures, which truly determine the fate of humanity on Earth, has actually been largely elucidated today. So, are you ready to gain a great awareness for yourself and, by extension, for nature by learning about all this? Then you must check out this guide we have prepared! The unknowns about bees and beekeeping, with many surprising details, will be etched into your memory!
1. WHY ARE BEES IMPORTANT TO HUMANITY?
Bees, as one of the oldest inhabitants of the earth, have been sustaining life on the planet for thousands of years. It sounds very ambitious, doesn't it? But it's exactly true! These tiny creatures, known as nature's most loyal friends, play a role in plant pollination activities, directly helping to preserve the ecosystem. For this reason, the protection and improvement of bees are among the most important conditions for the preservation of global resources.
2. WHY IS BEEKEEPING IMPORTANT?
You'll certainly recall that we touched upon the importance of bee improvement above. This was actually a fitting introduction to this very topic. The improvement of bees and their maintenance under suitable conditions, in addition to protecting natural areas, also provides unique benefits to humanity in agricultural activities. For this reason, beekeeping is at least as important as agriculture in meeting the world's food needs.
3. 20 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT BEES AND BEEKEEPING
3.1. THE EXISTENCE OF BEES ON EARTH
It is estimated that bees have existed on Earth for approximately 100 million years, while humans have existed for 300,000 years.
3.2. HONEY PRODUCTION PER BEE
A honey bee can only produce about 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime. This amount indicates how precious honey is and that not even a speck of it should be wasted. Furthermore, honey bees need to visit approximately 4-5 million flowers to produce 1 kilogram of honey.
3.3. THE ROLE OF BEES IN HUMAN NUTRITION
The honey bee is the only insect in the world whose products are consumed as food by humans.
3.4. THE ROLE OF BEES IN PLANT LIFE
Honey bees are responsible for at least one-third of the food products consumed by humans worldwide, thanks to the pollination they provide. This proves the truth of the saying, "If bees disappeared from the face of the Earth, humanity would only live for 4 years."
3.5. BEES' COLLABORATION WITH FLOWERS
There is a mutually beneficial relationship between flowers and bees that has continued for millions of years. Most flowers are pollinated by bees, fertilized, produce seeds, and perpetuate their species. Bees, on the other hand, continue their lives by feeding on the nectar and pollen produced by flowers. The reason for the existence of bees is to meet the pollination needs of flowers. Flowers attract bees with their colorful appearance, beautiful scents, and nectar secretion. This relationship is a survival strategy for many plants.
3.6. FACTORS MAKING BEES SUCCESSFUL IN POLLINATION
The factors that make a honey bee an excellent pollinator are its hairy body structure, its diet of pollen and honey, and the fact that a single colony consists of tens of thousands of members.
3.7. THE VALUE OF BEE COLONIES IN THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR
In the USA, the biggest source of income for beekeepers is renting out their colonies for agricultural purposes. 1.5 million colonies (hives) in the country are used for pollinating various plants, especially almonds. Rentals are made for 3-4 weeks, paying 100-150 dollars per colony.
3.8. AVERAGE POPULATION OF BEE COLONY MEMBERS
Depending on the season, a honey bee colony consists of 1 queen bee, 0 to 1,000 male drones, and 10,000 to 60,000 worker bees.
3.9. LIFE OF A WORKER BEE
While a worker bee can live for 4-5 months in winter, it lives a total of 6 weeks during the active period between spring and autumn. During this period, it provides various services for the colony, spending 3 weeks inside the hive and 3 weeks outside the hive. As an inside-hive service, it performs cleaning, feeding, and care for larvae and the queen bee by secreting royal jelly, weaving honeycomb by secreting wax, and guarding. As an outside-hive service, it undertakes the tasks of collecting nectar (honey dew), pollen, propolis, and water.
3.10. BEES' NECTAR AND POLLEN COLLECTION PROCESS
Depending on the yield of the flowers, a honey bee visits between 50 and 100 flowers in a single trip to collect nectar and pollen.
3.11. BEES' FLIGHT CAPACITY
Depending on weather conditions, a honey bee can fly at a speed of 24 kilometers per hour for up to 9 kilometers. This allows it to provide pollination over a very large area.
3.12. BEE ANATOMY
A worker bee has 2 pairs of wings, 3 pairs of legs; also, a total of 5 eyes, consisting of 2 compound eyes made of thousands of ommatidia and 3 ocelli. In addition, a worker bee has a total of 2 stomachs: one at the front for carrying nectar and water to the hive, and one for digestion.
3.13. STRUCTURE OF THE BEE BRAIN
A honey bee's brain is oval in shape and is only the size of a sesame seed.
3.14. BEES' SENSORY CAPABILITIES
Thanks to the 170 olfactory receptors on its antennae, a honey bee can detect the smell of honey from 2 kilometers away. Bees also perceive air temperature, wind speed, and noise levels through receptors on their antennae.
3.15. CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF A BEE STING
A worker bee that stings any creature to protect itself and its hive, even at the cost of its life, dies because it loses its stinger and venom sac. If the stinger is not immediately scraped out of the skin with a fingernail, it continues to pump venom into the body. After the stinger is quickly removed, cold water or ice should be applied to the stung area, and an antihistamine should be taken. This reduces pain, swelling, and itching. In cases of severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis), which can occur in 1 to 2 out of every thousand people in society, administering an adrenaline injection is life-saving. It is recommended that anyone with a severe allergy to bee venom always carry an adrenaline injection with them.
3.16. ROLE OF THE DRONE IN THE COLONY
The drone, which develops from an unfertilized egg through parthenogenesis (asexual reproduction), has the sole task of mating with the queen bee. For this reason, drones are only needed during queen production and swarming periods. In other periods, drones are unnecessary for the hive as they are merely consumers. Therefore, drones are killed by worker bees or forcibly expelled from the hive and left to die during non-essential periods.
3.17. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE QUEEN BEE
The queen bee weighs approximately 200 milligrams and can lay up to 2,500 eggs per day. She is also the only bee that can live up to 5 years. When the queen bee reaches sexual maturity, she mates with 10 to 20 drones once in her lifetime, in the "Drone Congregation Area," in the air and during flight. This mating system prevents inbreeding, thus preventing the formation of defective offspring (diploid drones) and allowing for natural selection. This system is the most perfect system observed in the animal kingdom.
3.18. CONSEQUENCES OF THE QUEEN BEE'S DISAPPEARANCE
The worker bee, like the queen bee, is female and is produced from a fertilized egg. However, as long as there is a queen bee in the colony, her ovaries are inactive and she does not lay eggs. In cases where there is no queen bee in the colony, the worker bee develops her ovaries by feeding on royal jelly and begins to lay eggs. These female bees, which take on this role, are called "false queen bees." Since a false queen bee will lay unfertilized eggs, and male drones will develop from unfertilized eggs, such a colony quickly becomes drone-laden. Afterwards, it gradually dwindles.
3.19. BEES' COMMUNICATION METHODS
Communication in a honey bee colony is provided by chemical substances called "pheromones" secreted by all members (queen bee, worker bee, drone, and brood).
3.20. THE MIRACULOUS DANCE OF WORKER BEES
Another form of communication among worker bees is the "Bee Dance". A worker bee bringing nectar or pollen to the hive shakes its abdomen (tail) with movements resembling the figure 8 on the honeycomb. This creates an angle between the hive, the sun, and the food source. In this way, it describes the location and distance of the pollen or nectar it brought from the hive to the other worker bees observing it. Austrian-born Karl Von Frisch won the "Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine" in 1973 for his discovery of the bee dance.
Don't you think these creatures are concrete evidence of the miracles of existence?
Agricultural Engineer Dr. Ali İhsan Öztürk
Balparmak Beekeeping Academy Education Specialist
