Eine Bienentraube.

Title

Eine Bienentraube.

Description

Illustration of a cluster of bees on a tree.

ca. 1880

Artist

Anonymus

Historical Description

Bees (Anthophila) are a group of insects that includes several families of Hymenoptera. Bees are quite a large group with very different species. Many of them, especially the solitary ones, are grouped together under the term wild bees. Bees have a purely vegetarian diet. Their most important food source is sweet plant juices - especially nectar. They are dependent on pollen for their protein supply. Species of the colony-forming genera and families, such as bumblebees, Meliponini and above all honeybees, build up food stores. This serves to survive as a whole colony in food-free periods. Highly social community forms, especially colonies as in honey bees, are the exception among bee species. The overwhelming majority of all bee species are solitary bees, which do not form insect colonies but live alone and only care for their own offspring. As bees make a significant contribution to the preservation of wild and cultivated plants and their yields, their ecological importance is considerable. Bees are among the world's most important pollinators. Bees live on all continents except Antarctica.