11 Things You Should Know Right Now About Honey Bees

They're in danger! Both Colony Collapse Disorder and honey-thieving bears are making life difficult for the little guys. Fortunately Jim Beam® Honey is donating money to save the honey bees and suing the bears! Follow #suethebears to keep up with all the action.

1. A hive of honey bees will fly 90,000 miles, the equivalent of three orbits around earth, to collect 2.2 pounds of nectar to produce honey.

Via vimeo.com

So you know that glop that dripped down the side of the bottle? Yeah, eat it up.

2. Honey bees are the only insect in the world that produce food eaten by man.

Anton Novoselov / Via Flickr: antonnovoselov

And that food helps protect against local allergens and never spoils.

3. Honey bees' wings beat about 200 times per second. This is where the "buzz" you hear comes from.

Via vimeo.com

They also fly at about 15 miles per hour.

4. Honey bee hives consist of 20,000 - 30,000 bees in the winter, and over 60,000 - 80,000 bees in the summer.

It's a good thing they're well bee-haved... We're sorry.

5. Worker bees live for 4-9 months during the winter season, but only 6 weeks during the busy summer months.

Via omgif.net

They literally work themselves to death. Must be some queen...

6. Worker bees are all female. The average worker will produce 1/12th teaspoon of honey in her lifetime.

Via vimeo.com

The average male honey bee doesn't do squat.

7. A typical honey bee hive can make up to 400 pounds of honey per year.

Via Flickr: blumenbiene

Are you checking our math? Because you should.

8. A honey bee visits 50 to 100 flowers during a collection trip.

Via fanpop.com

So if you could just plant your flowers a little closer together this year, that'd be great.

9. During the summer months, queen bees can lay up to 2,500 eggs per day.

Via commons.wikimedia.org

How do honey bee families not have a reality TV show by now???

10. Honey bees communicate with each other by dancing.

Via youtube.com

No, that's not Skrillex. A bee's dance informs other bees in what direction and how far away pollinated flowers are.

11. Honey bees are mysteriously disappearing. It's called Colony Collapse Disorder. And it's real.

Jessica Reeder / Via Flickr: jessicareeder

CCD is effecting the world's agricultural economy.