Learn more about the bees from the book

There are around 20,000 species of bee worldwide, and 4,000 species in North America.

Bees are important for pollinating wild flowers as well as the food we eat.

Most bees are solitary and live in holes in the ground.

All bees have six legs, four wings, eyes on the sides of their heads and three simple eyes on top of their heads. Most bees have at least some hair, and many are very fluffy.

The best way to see bees is to plant native flowers, and leave undisturbed ground for them to nest in.

• There are around 500 species of Osmia, or mason bees.

• They collect nectar and pollen to bring to a nest. Once they have enough, they lay an egg and wall it off in a cell. They then start again for the next egg.

• They can be green, black or blue.

• Mason bees are important for pollinating wild flowers, but are also used to pollinate fruits and nuts that we eat.

• There are 7 species of honeybee.

• They are the bee most commonly used for pollinating human food.

• Honeybees are not native to North America, but were brought over by Europeans.

• Honeybees are unusual in their social living.

• There are around 500 species of carpenter bee.

• They are some of the largest bees.

• Carpenter bees chew holes in wood to make their nests.

• They look a bit like bumblebees, but are less hairy.

• There are around 4,500 species of Halictid (‘sweat bee’) worldwide.

• Sweat bees are the most abundant bees in North America.

• They are extremely widespread, being found on every continent.

• Many are attracted to sweat – and will drink it from both skin and tears.

• There are around around 850 species of cuckoo bees.

• Cuckoo bees do not collect pollen for themselves like most bees.

• Instead, they lay their eggs inside the nests of other bees.

• When the cuckoo bees hatch out they then eat the host’s egg or larva.

• There are more than 400 species of Digger Bee (scientific name: Anthophora).

• They can fly very fast.

• All species are solitary (do not live in a colony) and nearly all nest in the ground.

• Like many bees, the males will sleep by biting on to a plant stem.