There are some insects that get talked about more than others. The more people talk about any subject the more information tends to be corrupted or exaggerated. This leads to people believing things that they deem as facts that are actually false. One insect that many myths are believed about is bees. A Five Star Termite & Pest Control busts some of those myths today!
Bee Folklore & Facts
Myth #1: Do All Bees Sting?
Most people believe that all bees can sting. This is not a factual statement. Male bees cannot sting. Only females have stingers. The stinger, or sting, is a modified egg-laying device so males do not have them. Though all females have a stinger there are many species of bees where the female cannot actually sting.
Myth #2: Do Honey Bees Sting Multiple Times?
A honey bee worker can sting other insects repeatedly. If they sting an animal or human the thick skin of their victim causes the barb in their stinger to get caught in the skin when they try to remove it. Once the stinger is removed from the bee the bee will die.
Myth #3: Do Most Bees Live in Hives?
People believe that all bees live in complex societies with definitive divisions of labor called hives. Honey bees and stingless bees do live like this. They have queens and workers that all have distinct roles. Some bees have smaller, simper societies that are only short term. But contrary to popular belief most bees are solitary. Many times a single female will make her own nest, collect enough food to completely develop an offspring, lay an egg on the food she gathered, and then repeat the process all over again. Ninety percent of bee species are not very social at all.
Myth #4: Are Bees Hard Working Insects?
The phrase “busy as a bee” is frequently used in our society. There are some bees that do work hard. The worker bees in the honey, bumble, and stingless species work extremely hard. Typically male bees do littler or not work to contribute to their nest. Female bees that live alone will work for a few weeks to make their nest but then stop working. Cuckoo bees actually lay their eggs in the nests of other bee species just to avoid building their own nest. So next time someone says they are busy as a bee you may want to ask more questions!
Myth #5: Do All Bees Produce Honey?
The truth is that less than five percent of bee species actually make honey. Honey bees and stingless bees are the only bee species that produce enough honey to make it worth harvesting. Bumble bees do produce a small amount of honey but not enough to make it worth harvesting.
Myth #6: Are All Wasps Bees?
Wasps and bees belong to the same order of insects but wasps ARE NOT bees. Bees collect pollen and nectar for their young and are vegetarians. Wasps are carnivores. Some species are extremely aggressive while bees are typically not aggressive. The Africanized bee is an exception as they are extremely aggressive as well.
Bee Inspections, Removal & More In Canyon Lake, Spring Branch, Bulverde, Timberwood Park, Leon Valley, Alamo Heights, New Braunfels, Selma, Live Oak, Converse, Universal City, Cibolo, Seguin, New Berlin, St Hedwig, Adkins, La Vernia, Elmendorf, Losoya, Von Ormy, Macdona & San Antonio, Texas
A Five Star Termite & Pest Control hopes that you learned more about bees today and that we were able to bust a few myths that you believed before you read this. If you have bees on your property and need help getting rid of them give A Five Star Termite and Pest Control a call today. We can come out and help come up with a plan to help you get bees and other stinging insects and pests off of your property.
