1. The World of Bees: Beyond a Single Species

You might not believe it, but there are over 20,000 bee species identified in the world! The Honey Bee is just one of them. Bees are generally divided into three main categories:

• Social Bees: Such as honey bees and bumblebees, which live in organized colonies.
• Solitary Bees: This category constitutes the majority of species. Each female builds her own nest and lays eggs (like the Mason Bee).
• Parasitic Bees: These bees lay their eggs in the nests of other bees, so their offspring are raised by the host.

Iran's Pride, the "Meda" Breed (A.M. Meda): Among the various honey bee breeds, Iran has its own native breed called "Meda," originating from the Alborz mountains and central Iran. This breed is of special importance due to its adaptation to Iran's climatic conditions.

2. The Colony: An Intelligent Superorganism

A honey bee colony functions like a single, intelligent entity, referred to as a superorganism. Each member has a specific task that serves the survival of the colony. In this society, there are three types of bees (castes):

The Queen: The Beating Heart of the Hive

The queen is the sole mother of the colony, and her main job is to lay eggs. At her peak, she can lay up to 2,000 eggs per day! The queen controls the behavior and harmony of the entire hive by releasing specific pheromones.

The Worker Bee: The Backbone of the Colony

These female bees are responsible for all the work in the hive, and their duties change based on their age:

• Nurse: Cares for and feeds the larvae.
• Architect (Builder): Builds honeycomb with engineering precision.
• Guard: Defends the hive entrance against intruders.
• Cleaner: Keeps the hive clean.
• Forager: The dangerous job of collecting nectar, pollen, and water from outside the hive.

The Drone: Short-Lived Princes

The sole purpose of male bees (drones) is to mate with queens from other colonies. They do not have stingers, do not participate in hive chores, and die after mating. In the autumn, worker bees expel them from the hive to preserve food resources for the winter.

3. The Language of Dance and Complex Communication

Bees have one of the most complex communication systems in the animal kingdom.

The Waggle Dance: The most amazing behavior of the honey bee! When a forager bee finds a rich food source, it returns to the hive and performs a special figure-eight dance to convey precise information to others:
The angle of the dance relative to the sun indicates the direction of the food source.
The duration of the dance specifies the distance to it from the hive.

In addition to dancing, they use pheromones (chemical scents) to send warning signals, identify the queen, and raise alarms.

4. The Sting: A Final Defensive Measure

A common misconception is that bees are aggressive. In reality, a honey bee only stings when it feels its life or its colony's life is in danger. For the honey bee, stinging comes at the cost of its life, as its barbed stinger gets lodged in the skin, tearing away part of its abdomen with it. Therefore, stinging is its last resort.

5. Economic Importance: The Invisible Pillars of Agriculture

The value of bees extends far beyond honey production. Pollination by bees contributes billions of dollars annually to the global economy. It is estimated that one-third of all food consumed by humans depends directly or indirectly on pollination by these insects. Crops like almonds, apples, strawberries, coffee, and cucumbers rely on bees for production.

6. Serious Threats and an Uncertain Future

Unfortunately, these valuable creatures face serious threats. Bee populations are declining worldwide for the following reasons:

• Pesticides: The indiscriminate use of pesticides, especially neonicotinoids, disrupts the nervous systems of bees.
• The Varroa Mite: This tiny parasite is the greatest enemy of the honey bee worldwide. By feeding on the bee's body, it transmits viruses and destroys the colony.
• Climate Change and Habitat Loss: The disappearance of diverse meadows and flowering plants has limited the food sources for bees.

7. Table of Honey Bee Facts and Characteristics

Here are some key characteristics of the different types of honey bees compared at a glance:

8. How Can We Help Bees?

Protecting bees is a collective responsibility. You can also play an effective role with simple actions:

• Plant native flowers: Plant bee-friendly flowers like lavender, sunflowers, and clover in your garden or pots.
• Avoid pesticides: Do not use chemical pesticides in your garden.
• Provide a shallow water source: Bees get thirsty too. A shallow dish of water with a few pebbles for them to land on will help.
• Support local beekeepers: By purchasing local honey and products, you help maintain healthy colonies.