![]() ![]() Beekeeping also requires specialized equipment and maintenance. They can sting, and housing them takes a pretty serious commitment. Does the Honey Bee Make a Good PetĪs a basic pet, honey bees are not particularly desirable. They have selectively bred these bees for long periods of time, and humans have collected honey for centuries. Keeping, breeding, and harvesting the products of bees is called “beekeeping.”īeekeepers raise the bees for their honey and wax production, as well as the pollination of important agricultural plants. There are two domesticated species of honey bees, the eastern honey bee, and the European honey bee. Scientists have recently determined that certain types of pesticides are having a direct impact on the survival rate and immune function of honey bees. However, human-caused stresses put the bees at a greater risk for natural diseases and viral infections. A combination of factors have caused the decline in bee populations. Humans have been adversely impacting bee populations for over a decade. Scientists call the dance that bees use to communicate with one another a “waggle dance.” Honey Bee and Human Interaction If they find a new patch of flowers, they return to the nest and show the other bees where to go by dancing. They collect food by flying to areas with lots of flowers, and moving from flower to flower harvesting nectar and pollen. Pollen is the only protein source that they consume, and nectar provides water and energy. The only nutrition that honeybees receive is nectar and pollen from flowers. ![]() Finally, the Philippine honey bee lives in the Philippines and Indonesia. The European species is the most common, and resides on every continent except for Antarctica. Koschevnikov’s bee lives in Malaysia and Borneo. The eastern species lives throughout southern and southeastern Asia. The giant species lives in both South and Southeast Asia. The dwarf and black dwarf species are both native to Southeast Asia. While some species are common, others have grown quite rare. Distribution of the Honey Beeĭifferent species of honey bees live in different regions of the world. The bees actually shiver to increase the temperature inside the hive. Honey bees are also capable of surviving in cold climates, and thermoregulate by huddling within the nest. Their preferred habitats include orchards, meadows, gardens, woodlands, and virtually anywhere with plenty of flowers growing. They can live in natural habitats, agricultural areas, and urban parks or gardens. These insects require habitats with plenty of feeding opportunities nearby, namely, flowering plants. Scientists are working to help prevent disease and infections within the hives, and research the impact of pesticides on bees, to prevent colony collapse. Researchers call this phenomenon “colony collapse disorder.” In fact, in some areas nearly 90% of the bee population has disappeared.
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