A Brief History of our Backyard Friend, the Honey Bee (Infographic)

Look, by now we all know pollinators are an essential part of our everyday lives. That is why we always strive to encourage others to make pollinator-friendly gardens. By and far one of the most important pollinators is the honey bee. With all of the hard work honey bees put into making our landscapes look even better. We wanted to take some time to check out some amazing facts about them. 

When did mankind begin interacting with honey bees?

Believe it or not, humans have been harvesting honey bees since 2422 BC. Evidence of ancient beekeeping was discovered in ancient Egyptian tombs. Bees were introduced to America by European settlers in 1622.

How many bees are there?

Well, that depends…. How many bees are there where? In the US alone there are over 2.6 million beehives. And get this, a single hive can have up to 50,000 bees in it. 

How much honey can bees produce?

During its lifetime a single bee will produce 1/8th a teaspoon of honey. Which may not seem like much, but an entire hive can produce 60lbs in a single year. 

What plants will attract honey bees to my yard?

Depending on your area there are 1000’s of plants to choose from. Most areas have local plant species from which honey bees love to collect pollen. These plants include lavender, sages, sunflowers, zinnia s, and cosmos.

What are some tips for attracting honey bees?

One of the best ways is to plant flowers for the honey bees is to plant perennial and annual flowering plant varieties which will bloom throughout the year. One of the biggest reasons honey bee populations are struggling is their lack of access to pollinator varieties. By helping fill the gap, you can begin to build a bridge for honey bees to expand from.

At the end of the day, honey bees are an important part of our life and culture. Not only do they make delicious honey, they also serve to pollinate tons and tons of our food each and every year. Spread this infographic so that others can know just how great bees are! And check out 

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