Ask anyone who is a beekeeper and they will tell you: it is a fascinating world. Delving into the world of bees reveals little-known facts that are sometimes poignant and oddly beautiful. Bees are a marvel to beekeepers and scientists alike. Their contributions to mankind are even greater than anyone has ever imagined.
Bees, unlike their human counterparts, always function with a sense of purpose. They have a job and they know how to do it. From moving their wings to generate heat to keep the queen warm in the winter to guarding, undertaking and foraging, they always know what is expected of them.
‘Bees are capable of flying at speeds up to 15 mph and carrying nectar loads that approach their own body weight. In addition to these feats of strength, they are also capable of delicate maneuvering and hovering while they approach flowers,” wrote Dan Wyns.
The phenomenal aerial maneuvers are made possible by their four wings.
Still, some beekeepers say that whatever (God, as some believe) created the worker bees maintained a sense of mercy. It turns out that the bees’ four wings can only go for a finite number of miles, with the upper reaches of that number being around 500 miles.
The toil in service to the colony until they exhaust their physical abilities and die. In colder months, worker bees can make it up to 9 months, but in peak season when work demand is high, and their schedules are killer, they last a mere six weeks.
For regular honeybees, the process of their evolution within the colony until their merciful departure is something called temporal polyethism. In essence, their brain chemistry actually changes.
“Scout bees, which search for new sources of food, are wired for adventure. Soldier bees, discovered in 2012, work as security guards their whole life. One percent of all middle-aged bees become undertakers—a genetic brain pattern compels them to remove dead bees from the hive. But most amazingly, regular honeybees—which perform multiple jobs in their lifetime—will change their brain chemistry before taking up a new gig,” according to Mental Floss.
The list of fascinating facts and research can go on and on. Scientists are looking to bees for advancements in facial recognition technology and the ability to better treat dementia.
There was even a recent study that demonstrates the likelihood that bees have feelings.
Apparently, they also have a healthy appreciation of a good caffeine buzz. The presence of caffeine in plants allows for pollinators to remember where the plant is located and increases the chance of a return visit.
Scientists are continually discovering the similarities between honeybees and humans. Bees value connection, a sense of purpose, hard work, family, and the natural world. If we all thought about the world a bit more like bees do, then it would likely be an even more beautiful place.