Bees

Definition

A monophyletic clade of winged insects (Anthophila) within the superfamily Apoidea of the order Hymenoptera, characterized by branched body hairs, specialized pollen-carrying structures, and primarily nectar- and pollen-feeding habits. The group comprises more than 20,000 described species across seven families, encompassing both highly eusocial colonial forms (e.g., honey bees, bumblebees, stingless bees) and the more numerous solitary species (e.g., mason bees, carpenter bees, leafcutter bees, sweat bees). Ecologically, bees are the dominant pollinators of flowering plants in most terrestrial ecosystems, with coevolutionary relationships driving floral diversity and agricultural productivity.

Etymology

From Middle English be, from Old English bēo, from Proto-Germanic *bijō.

Example

In a temperate meadow survey, researchers documented 47 bee species across five families, with solitary ground-nesting Andrena bees outnumbering the social Apis mellifera colonies in both abundance and floral visitation rate.

Synonyms

• Anthophila

Related Terms

• pollination
• eusociality
• Apoidea
• Hymenoptera
• Honey bee
• bumblebee
• solitary bee
• Pollen basket
• corbicula
• scopa
• bee decline
• pollinator ecology

Usage Notes

In formal taxonomy, 'bees' refers specifically to the clade Anthophila, not to all Apoidea (which includes spheciform wasps). The term is sometimes used more loosely in agriculture and conservation contexts to emphasize pollination services rather than strict phylogenetic boundaries. Contrast with 'wasps' (generally predatory or parasitoid, less hairy, lacking pollen-carrying adaptations) and 'flies' (Diptera, single pair of wings, often mimetic but anatomically distinct). The singular 'bee' applies to individual organisms; 'bees' as a collective noun carries no implication of social organization—most species are solitary.