Songwriters from Blake Shelton to Tom Petty have written songs with a reference to the honeybee. It is often used as a term of endearment. Honeybees are important to the balance of nature.
Are honeybees the same as bumblebees?
These bees are in good company with just about 20,000 other known types of bees. Here are some fun facts:
- Bumblebees are chubby and fuzzy. Honeybees are slight and thinner and often mistaken for wasps.
- Honeybees call a hive their home with thousands in the colony. As their name implies, they make honey!
- Bumblebees live in a nest with a few hundred bees. They produce for self-consumption.
- Honeybees sting once before dying; bumblebees can sting multiple times.
What are the three types of honeybees in the hive?
According to National Geographic for Kids, the hive is divided into three types:
Queen: One queen runs the whole hive. Her job is to lay the eggs that will spawn the hive’s next generation of bees. The queen also produces chemicals that guide the behavior of the other bees.
Workers: these are all female and their roles are to forage for food (pollen and nectar from flowers), build and protect the hive, clean, and circulate air by beating their wings. Workers are the only bees most people ever see flying around outside the hive.
Drones: These are the male bees, and their purpose is to mate with the new queen. Several hundred live in each hive during the spring and summer. But come winter, when the hive goes into survival mode, the drones are kicked out!
Will honeybees attack people?
Honeybees are social yet very protective of the hive. They will indeed sting if you get too close to the hive or if they feel threatened.
Should I get rid of honeybees around my home?
The bee population, in general, is declining in the U.S. at a rapid rate. At Accurate Pest Control, typically we will not kill the honeybees, and try our best to preserve them due to the colony collapse disorder currently facing these bees. We have joined forces with local beekeepers who will remove the hive, relocate, and save it. We will do the removal of the structure to access the hive and the repair of the structure once the hive is removed.
Honeybees can become very territorial and aggressive if you agitate them or the hive. Please do not attempt to remove the hive on your own. Seek immediate medical attention if you are stung and are unsure of the reaction you may experience from bee stings.
Despite being a pest control service, we advocate preserving the pollinators such as honeybees or bumblebees. Contact us for a free inspection and together we can find a solution to protect both you and your family as well as the bees.
