The honey bee has a complex stinger designed to help defend the hive against threats. It looks much like a hypodermic needle, pointed and hollow under a microscope. A cross-section…

This article contains an affiliate links, and we may receive a commission for purchases. Bee vision plays a vital role in the insect’s foraging, navigation, and communication. This guide explores…

The Melittidae bee family is small group consisting of three subfamilies, fourteen genera, and just over 200 species. They are found in North America, Asia, Europe, and Africa. Melittids are…

Bees and wasps rely on stingers to keep themselves safe. Some also use this weapon to kill hapless victims for their next meal. Are you dying to find out which…

Since their arrival in the United States in 2019, Asian giant hornets (Vespa mandarinia) have received much attention in the media. They’re big, aggressive insects with an appetite for honey…

The honey bee and leafcutter bee are common insects that make excellent pollinators. Honey bees yield honey, wax, and propolis and pollinate crops worldwide. Leafcutter bees don’t provide resources but…

The Colletidae bee family is a large and varied group made up of over 2000 species. With nine distinct subfamilies, it contains short-tongues, primitive species. Colletids range greatly in appearance,…

The Stenotritidae bee family is mostly made up of large bees that have remarkable speed in flight. They are the only Australian bees that have two subantennal sulci. What is…

The Andrenidae bee family consists of bees that are better known as solitary mining bees. This remarkable group of insects live in diverse habitats across the globe. Andrenids are characterized…

The Halictidae family is a diverse bee classification comprising almost 4,500 species distributed globally. They are the second largest family of bees and are commonly called sweat bees. Halictids come…