Bee Lives

Here's a look at the lives of bees from egg to adult.

inside a mason bee nest showing the tunnel, egg cells with pollen stores and adult female mason bee

Bee Life Cycle
All bee species progress through 4 key life stages, from egg to adult bee. Here's a description.

mason bees at a bee house showing a female and some nest cells sealed with mud

Bee Nests
A description of the various types of structures of bee nests.

Sociality In Bees
At one end of the scale, bees are highly eusocial, and exist as superorganisms (such as honey bees). At the opposite end of the scale, bees are solitary, but there are various levels of sociality in between.

highcompress_honeybeeondaphnebholuajaquilinepostillinwinter.png

Where Do Bees Go In Winter
Some bee species over winter as adults, others as pupae, but where do they spend the coolest part of the year?

blue-banded bee Amegilla cingulata flying toward a white flower

How Long Do Bees Live
The lifespan of bees is variable, and depends not only on species, but also whether male or female, among other factors.

male mason bee peeping out of the entrance of a nest in a bee house, close up shot. The bee has a dark head and face with pale hairs like a moustache.

Do Bees Have Feelings?
An intriguing look at scientific research investigating this topic, and what it means for bees.

festooning honey bees forming a chain between hive frames

Are Bees Smart
An outline of various experiments undertaken to assess the intelligence of bees, such as problem solving and memory.