Questions people actually ask
Short answers, each with its source. Longer ones live on the topic pages.
How many kinds of bee are there?
There are over 20,000 known bee species in the world, and about 4,000 of them are native to the United States. USGS
Do all bees live in hives?
Over 90% of bee species, including mason bees, carpenter bees, leafcutter bees and sweat bees, are solitary. Wikipedia
Do bumblebees make honey?
Bumblebees don't make honey: they don't need to store food for winter, because only the new queens survive it, hibernating. BBCT
Which bees can sting?
Male bees cannot sting; only females can. BBCT
What should I do if someone has an allergic reaction to a sting?
Call 999 (or your local emergency number) if lips, mouth, throat or tongue suddenly swell, or someone is struggling to breathe after a sting. NHS
How do I get a sting out?
If a bee sting is left in the skin, the NHS advises brushing or scraping it out sideways with a fingernail or the edge of a bank card, not tweezers, then washing with soap and water. NHS
What’s the biggest bee?
Wallace's giant bee is the world's largest bee, with a wingspan of about 63.5 mm (2.5 in). Wikipedia
What’s the smallest bee?
Perdita minima is known as the world's smallest bee, at about 2 mm long. USGS
How long do bees live?
A honey bee queen can live three to four years, while a bumblebee queen lives about a year. BBCT
How far do honey bees fly?
Honey bees fly at around 13 to 15 mph and can forage up to four miles from the hive, sometimes more. BBC
Where do bumblebees nest?
Bumblebees don't live in hives. Some nest underground in old mouse holes, under sheds or in compost heaps; others in thick grass, bird boxes or lofts. BBCT
Does a bee hotel help?
Insect hotels are used as nest sites by solitary bees and solitary wasps. Wikipedia
Are bees endangered?
In Europe, 9.2% of the 1,965 wild bee species assessed are threatened with extinction. IUCN
Why do bees matter for food?
About 75% of the world's food crop types depend at least partly on pollinators. FAO
What is the waggle dance?
The waggle dance is a figure-of-eight dance that tells other honey bees the direction and distance to food, water or a new nest site. Wikipedia
How do bees make wax?
Worker honey bees make wax from eight glands on the underside of the abdomen. Wikipedia