It’s a hot day in the summer. Bees are buzzing, mosquitoes are whining, and butterflies are flitting. Houseflies and dragonflies dart here and there.
It’s easy to imagine that insects are taking over the world. In fact, of all the animal species on Earth, more than eight out of every ten are insects.
Insects are split into 31 orders, or categories. Bees (and wasps) belong to the order Hymenoptera. It’s the fourth largest order, after beetles, flies, and butterflies. There are about 20,000 species of bees in the world.
All these bees do more than just buzz around. They make the sweet golden liquid called honey. They also make beeswax, which is used in candles, makeup, and other products.
The most important job bees do is pollinate flowers. Pollen is the yellow dusty stuff at the center of a flower. Bees carry it from one flower to another. This helps plants make seeds for flowers, fruits, and vegetables all around the world.