Sure, we showcase all their hard work, but what about the Honey Bee itself? Do you know anything about the honey bee? Let's spotlight eight fun secret facts you might not have known about our honey-making Honey Bee.
1. Love is in the Air
Did you know that bees do not meet on the petals of a flower, fall in love and make baby bees? No, bees mate high up in the air while flying. Unfortunately, the male loses his reproductive organs and dies.
2. Girl Power
All those worker bees, you see. All-female, now that is girl power.
3. All Eyes On Me
Here is a secret fact! Male bees' eyes are significantly more prominent than female bees. All to help them find their Queen bee better.
4. You're My Favorite
Do you have a favorite color? Honey Bees do too! Honey bees are attracted to blue as well as cluster plants such as lavender and rosemary.
5. Haven't I Seen You Bee-fore?
They say an elephant never forgets; well, a honey bee might not forget you either. Honeybees can make out faces like we do, thus recognizing them too. How? They combine parts, such as eyebrows, lips, and ears to make up the entire face. It is called configural processing.
6. We Have Feelings, Too, You Know
Researchers at the University of Illinois discovered bees actually have little personalities. They found some bees are adventurous, while some have shown to favor the side of caution more. In 2011, they even discovered that they might become a bit pessimistic if you bother them too much.
7. Bee Smart
Say you have six stores to visit, each of which is located in a different place. How far can you travel in the quickest amount of time while visiting all six? Known as the "traveling salesman problem" by mathematicians, it has even stumped some computers. It is no problem to figure out for bumblebees, as researchers from Royal Holloway University in London found that bumblebees fly the shortest routes between flowers. They are the only animals known to solve the problem so far.
8. Detective HoneyComb
When bees collect pollen, they gather it near their hive but far enough away so that predators cannot find it. It's been found that serial killers act the same way, often doing their crime near their home but far away enough not to attract suspicion from their neighbors. Recognizing this, scientists studied bees and created an algorithm that, when used by police, helped them improve finding their felons.
The average American consumes honey in the amount of 1.51 pounds each year. In addition, the United States Department of Agriculture estimates that honeybees pollinate up to 80% of the country's insect crops, implying that bees pollinate about $15 billion in crops each year. Now that's a busy bee!