Bees form colonies in hives. There are different bees for different tasks.

Bee

Bees form colonies in hives. There are different bees for different tasks.

Bee on a flower

Bee

Bee on a flower

An insect that makes honey.

Bee

An insect that makes honey.

A bee of the colletes genus that usually live in the ground.

Bee

A bee of the colletes genus that usually live in the ground.

"Honey-bee (Apis mellifica). Male (drone)" — The Encyclopedia Britannica, 1910

Bee

"Honey-bee (Apis mellifica). Male (drone)" — The Encyclopedia Britannica, 1910

"Honey-bee (Apis mellifica). Queen." — The Encyclopedia Britannica, 1910

Bee

"Honey-bee (Apis mellifica). Queen." — The Encyclopedia Britannica, 1910

"Honey-bee (Apis mellifica). Worker." — The Encyclopedia Britannica, 1910

Bee

"Honey-bee (Apis mellifica). Worker." — The Encyclopedia Britannica, 1910

"Bee seen through a magnifying-glass at the moment when the plates of wax appear between the segments of the abdomen."

Bee

"Bee seen through a magnifying-glass at the moment when the plates of wax appear between the segments…

"Head and mouth parts of bee. a., Antenna; m., mandible; g., labrum or epipharynx; mx.p., rudiment of maxillary palp; mx., lamina of maxilla; lp., labial palp; l., ligula; b., bouton at end. The paraglossae lie concealed between the basal portions of the labial palps and the ligula." -Thomson, 1916

Bee Head

"Head and mouth parts of bee. a., Antenna; m., mandible; g., labrum or epipharynx; mx.p., rudiment of…

"Bee, the common name given to a large family of hymenopterous or membranous-winged insects, of which the most important is the common hive or honey bee." -Vaughan, 1906

Bee Pollinating a Flower

"Bee, the common name given to a large family of hymenopterous or membranous-winged insects, of which…

"The Carpenter Bee, or Wood Piercer, hollows out galleries in decayed wood, and builds in them cells placed one over the other - a work often occupying many weeks."

Carpenter Bee, Pupae, Eggs, Galleries and Nests

"The Carpenter Bee, or Wood Piercer, hollows out galleries in decayed wood, and builds in them cells…

A bee of the family Apidae.

Cuckoo Bee

A bee of the family Apidae.

"The working bee, for collecting wax, enters a flower, the stamens of which are loaded with pollen. This dust attaches itself to the brush-like hairs covering the body of the bee, when, by rubbing itself with the brushes with which the tarsi are furnished, the insect collects it into little parcels, which it places on small palettes, hollowed out on the surface of its hund limbs." &mdash Goodrich, 1859

Drone Bee

"The working bee, for collecting wax, enters a flower, the stamens of which are loaded with pollen.…

"Bee is the common name given to a large family of hymenopterous or membranous-winged insects, of which the most important is the common hive or honey bee (apis mellifica). It belongs to the warmer parts of the Eastern Hemisphere, but is now naturalized in the Western. A hive commonly consists of one mother or queen, from 600 to 800 males or drones, and from 15,000 to 20,000 working bees, formerly termed neuters, but now known to be imperfectly developed females. The humblebees, or bumblebees, of which over 60 species are found in North America, belong to the genus bombus, which is almost world wide in its distribution. "—(Charles Leonard-Stuart, 1911)

Drone Bee

"Bee is the common name given to a large family of hymenopterous or membranous-winged insects, of which…

Drone bee

Drone Bee

Drone bee

A drone bee

Drone Bee

A drone bee

A drone bee and drone cells in which it develops.

Drone Bee

A drone bee and drone cells in which it develops.

"The female is smaller than the male, and has a longer body than the working bee; the wings are shorter in proportion. The only part she has to play is that of laying eggs, so she has no palettes and brushes."

Female or Queen Bee (Apis Mellifica)

"The female is smaller than the male, and has a longer body than the working bee; the wings are shorter…

Honey bees (or honeybees) are a subset of bees, primarily distinguished by the production and storage of honey and the construction of perennial, colonial nests out of wax. Pictured here are the various legs of hive bees.

Legs of the Hive Bee

Honey bees (or honeybees) are a subset of bees, primarily distinguished by the production and storage…

The honey-bee is of European origin, and has long been domesticated.

Honey Bee

The honey-bee is of European origin, and has long been domesticated.

The larva of the honey-bee.

Honey Bee

The larva of the honey-bee.

The pupa of the honey-bee.

Honey Bee

The pupa of the honey-bee.

The pupa of the honey-bee.

Honey Bee

The pupa of the honey-bee.

The worker or infertile female honey-bee.

Honey Bee

The worker or infertile female honey-bee.

The queen or fertile female honey-bee.

Honey Bee

The queen or fertile female honey-bee.

"They are said to have originated in Greece, but have since spread all over the world; they live in colonies composed of from ten to thirty thousand neuter or <em>Working Bees</em>, of from six to eight hundred males called <em>Drones</em>, and of a single female, which seems to reign as <em>Queen</em>." &mdash Goodrich, 1859

Honey Bee

"They are said to have originated in Greece, but have since spread all over the world; they live in…

"Queen Honey Bee"-Whitney, 1902

Honey Bee

"Queen Honey Bee"-Whitney, 1902

"Neuter Worker Bee"-Whitney, 1902

Honey Bee

"Neuter Worker Bee"-Whitney, 1902

Honey bees (or honeybees) are a subset of bees, primarily distinguished by the production and storage of honey and the construction of perennial, colonial nests out of wax. Pictured here is a male honey bee.

Honey Bee (Male)

Honey bees (or honeybees) are a subset of bees, primarily distinguished by the production and storage…

Honey bees (or honeybees) are a subset of bees, primarily distinguished by the production and storage of honey and the construction of perennial, colonial nests out of wax. Pictured here is a queen honey bee.

Honey Bee (Queen)

Honey bees (or honeybees) are a subset of bees, primarily distinguished by the production and storage…

Honey bees (or honeybees) are a subset of bees, primarily distinguished by the production and storage of honey and the construction of perennial, colonial nests out of wax. Pictured here is a worker honey bee.

Honey Bee (Worker)

Honey bees (or honeybees) are a subset of bees, primarily distinguished by the production and storage…

A bumblebee (or bumble bee) is any member of the bee genus Bombus, in the family Apidae. Pictured here are the various legs of the bees.

Legs of the Humble Bee

A bumblebee (or bumble bee) is any member of the bee genus Bombus, in the family Apidae. Pictured here…

"As the larva increases in size, its food is made to acquire a more decided taste of honey. In the space of five days, the larvae are developed. The perfect insect is hatched seven or eight days after its transformation into a pupa."

Larva of the Bee

"As the larva increases in size, its food is made to acquire a more decided taste of honey. In the space…

A leaf-cutter bee, Megachile species. Adult with wings at rest.

Leaf-Cutter Bee

A leaf-cutter bee, Megachile species. Adult with wings at rest.

A leaf-cutter bee, Megachile species. Adult with wings expanded.

Leaf-Cutter Bee

A leaf-cutter bee, Megachile species. Adult with wings expanded.

A leaf-cutter bee, Megachile species. Bee is at work on a rose-leaf.

Leaf-Cutter Bee

A leaf-cutter bee, Megachile species. Bee is at work on a rose-leaf.

A leaf-cutter bee, Megachile species. Segments of leaves cut from leaf-cutter bee.

Leaf-Cutter Bee

A leaf-cutter bee, Megachile species. Segments of leaves cut from leaf-cutter bee.

A leaf-cutter bee, Megachile species. Leaves cut from leaf-cutter bee in a burrow in a dead branch.

Leaf-Cutter Bee

A leaf-cutter bee, Megachile species. Leaves cut from leaf-cutter bee in a burrow in a dead branch.

"The males are larger and more hairy than the working bee, emitting a sonorous and buzzing sound, have no palettes on their legs, the hairs on their tarsi are not appropriate to the work of gathering, their mandibles are sharper, and they have no sting like that with which the working bee is provided."

Male or Drone Bee (Apis Mellifica)

"The males are larger and more hairy than the working bee, emitting a sonorous and buzzing sound, have…

"The Mason Bees build their nests against the walls with tempered earth, which becomes very hard."

Mason Bee and Nest

"The Mason Bees build their nests against the walls with tempered earth, which becomes very hard."

A queen bee.

Queen Bee

A queen bee.

"The queen bee is larger and longer than the other bees; she moves in a slow and majestic manner, and is always accompanied by a guard of twelve workers, an office taken in turn, and never intermitted." &mdash Goodrich, 1859

Queen Bee

"The queen bee is larger and longer than the other bees; she moves in a slow and majestic manner, and…

"Bee is the common name given to a large family of hymenopterous or membranous-winged insects, of which the most important is the common hive or honey bee (apis mellifica). It belongs to the warmer parts of the Eastern Hemisphere, but is now naturalized in the Western. A hive commonly consists of one mother or queen, from 600 to 800 males or drones, and from 15,000 to 20,000 working bees, formerly termed neuters, but now known to be imperfectly developed females. The humblebees, or bumblebees, of which over 60 species are found in North America, belong to the genus bombus, which is almost world wide in its distribution. "&mdash;(Charles Leonard-Stuart, 1911)

Queen Bee

"Bee is the common name given to a large family of hymenopterous or membranous-winged insects, of which…

Queen bee

Queen Bee

Queen bee

A queen bee

Queen Bee

A queen bee

A queen bee and queen cell in which it develops, opened and closed.

Queen Bee

A queen bee and queen cell in which it develops, opened and closed.

Stingless bees, or simply meliponines, are a large group of bees, comprising the tribe Meliponini in the family Apidae, and closely-related to the common honey bees. Pictured here are the various legs of the bees.

Legs of the Stingless Bee

Stingless bees, or simply meliponines, are a large group of bees, comprising the tribe Meliponini in…

A Worker Bee.

Worker Bee

A Worker Bee.

"Bee is the common name given to a large family of hymenopterous or membranous-winged insects, of which the most important is the common hive or honey bee (apis mellifica). It belongs to the warmer parts of the Eastern Hemisphere, but is now naturalized in the Western. A hive commonly consists of one mother or queen, from 600 to 800 males or drones, and from 15,000 to 20,000 working bees, formerly termed neuters, but now known to be imperfectly developed females. The humblebees, or bumblebees, of which over 60 species are found in North America, belong to the genus bombus, which is almost world wide in its distribution. "&mdash;(Charles Leonard-Stuart, 1911)

Worker Bee

"Bee is the common name given to a large family of hymenopterous or membranous-winged insects, of which…

Worker bee

Worker Bee

Worker bee

A worker bee

Worker Bee

A worker bee

"Under Side of Worker, carrying Wax Scales." &mdash; The Encyclopedia Britannica, 1910

Worker Bee

"Under Side of Worker, carrying Wax Scales." — The Encyclopedia Britannica, 1910

A worker bee and worker cells in which it develops.

Worker Bee

A worker bee and worker cells in which it develops.

""The working bee, for collecting wax, enters a flower, the stamens of which are loaded with pollen. This dust attaches itself to the brush-like hairs covering the body of the bee, when, by rubbing itself with the brushes with which the tarsi are furnished, the insect collects it into little parcels, which it places on small palettes, hollowed out on the surface of its hund limbs." &mdash Goodrich, 1859

Working Bees

""The working bee, for collecting wax, enters a flower, the stamens of which are loaded with pollen.…

"Bees visiting flowers. At the left, a bumblebee on the flower of the dead nettle; below, a similar bee in the flower of the horse-chestnut; above, a honey-bee in the flower of a violet." -Bergen, 1896

Bees Visiting Flowers

"Bees visiting flowers. At the left, a bumblebee on the flower of the dead nettle; below, a similar…

"Honey bee (Apis mellifica). a, queen (perfect female); b, worker (imperfect female); and c, drone (male)." -Parker, 1900

Honey Bees

"Honey bee (Apis mellifica). a, queen (perfect female); b, worker (imperfect female); and c, drone (male)."…

Bees are flying insects closely related to wasps and ants. Honey bees (or honeybees) are a subset of bees, primarily distinguished by the production and storage of honey and the construction of perennial, colonial nests out of wax. A colony generally contains one queen bee, a fertile female; seasonally up to a few thousand drone bees or fertile males; and a large seasonally variable population of sterile female worker bees. Eggs are laid singly in a cell in a wax honeycomb, produced and shaped by the worker bees. Larvae are initially fed with royal jelly produced by worker bees, later switching to honey and pollen.

Honey Bees

Bees are flying insects closely related to wasps and ants. Honey bees (or honeybees) are a subset of…

Bees are flying insects closely related to wasps and ants. Honey bees (or honeybees) are a subset of bees, primarily distinguished by the production and storage of honey and the construction of perennial, colonial nests out of wax. A colony generally contains one queen bee, a fertile female; seasonally up to a few thousand drone bees or fertile males; and a large seasonally variable population of sterile female worker bees. Eggs are laid singly in a cell in a wax honeycomb, produced and shaped by the worker bees. Larvae are initially fed with royal jelly produced by worker bees, later switching to honey and pollen.

Honey Bees

Bees are flying insects closely related to wasps and ants. Honey bees (or honeybees) are a subset of…