Honeybees are flying insects that are distinguished by their capacity to produce and store honey. While the production of honey is important for the economy, there are a variety of other ways that bees contribute to modern day society. By better understanding the role that bees play in the world, including the products that they create and the history of beekeeping, you can better appreciate this important little insect.

Bees are some of the world’s hardest working creatures, and humans have a variety of things to thank this little insect for. Agriculturally speaking, bees pollinate one-sixth of the world’s flowering plants, equaling about 400 different types of plants. Honeybees provide invaluable pollinating services that produce billions of dollars’ worth of U.S. agricultural products each year.

Bees are also responsible for creating a variety of food items. For many people, honey is the first bee-produced food product that comes to mind. But if bees were to stop pollinating agricultural plants, foods like apples, peaches, cantaloupe, blueberries, watermelons, cucumbers, and many others would no longer be available.