Honey Bee

Insects of the Blackstone Valley

Honey BeeGearhead-print-card

Honey_Bee_on_Willow_Catkin_(5419305106)Honey Bees are one of the most important insects in the world because they pollinate plants –move pollen from one plant to another so it can blossom. In fact, they pollinate about 80% of all plants. Without them, people would not be able to grow food like apples, pears, and corn. Honey Bees are not very big, only about three quarters of an inch long with slightly fuzzy reddish-brown bodies accented with black and orangey-yellow rings on their abdomen.

There are three types of Honey Bees: workers, drones and the Queen. The workers collect pollen and nectar from plants and take it back to their hive where they turn it into honey. The Queen lays the eggs and produces a chemical that influences how all the other bees behave. The drones mate with the Queen and not much else. They’re kicked out of the hive at the end of the season!