Learning About Bees
Want to learn about the bees that lived over 100 million years ago, the life cycle of bees, what a bee's stinger is (and why it hurts so much), or how to attract certain bees to your garden? These pages are for you! Like all pages on my website, I have included a list of scientific references so you know where all my facts come from.
Insects play important roles in our ecosystems, but what exactly are they? This page discusses the importance of insects, why insects are incredibly abundant, and human insect interactions.
Photo credit: "Golden Ground Beetle (Carabus auronitens auronitens) hibernating in dead wood" by berniedup is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Bees are very important because of their interaction with flowering plants. They are also different from flies and wasps in both their appearance and behaviour. This page discusses unique features of bees, how a bee is different from other look-alike insects, and how to provide resources for bees in our gardens.
Photo credit: "Tuesday's visitor" by jeans_Photos is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Bees were alive over 100 million years ago and have changed a lot since their first appearance. Here we go over what ancient bees looked like, how they are different than the bees we know today, and how they changed over time.
Photo credit: "Bee with four beetle parasites" by Oregon State University is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
The number one reason people dislike or are afraid of bees is because they can sting. This article covers what a sting is, different types of bee's stings, some basic sting prevention, and a short section on first aid if you do end up getting stung.
Photo credit: "File:Nelumbo nucifera-Tetragonula pagdeni.jpg" by Peterwchen is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
There are roughly 20,000 bee species on planet earth. All of these bees are grouped into seven related groups known as families. Some of the bee families are large (with over 5700 bee species) and some are very small (with only 21 bee species).
Photo credit: "Tawny Mining Bee (Andrena fulva)" by Lukas Large is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Bees undergo metamorphosis like other insects, but we don't get to see most of this lifecycle. Different bee species also make different types of nests; they don't all make hives or produce honey. This page touches on the lifecycle of bees, different types of bee nests, and how to provide nesting spaces for bees in your yard!
Photo credit:"Hylaeus emerging 4" by Rob Cruickshank is licensed under CC BY 2.0
