--- title: "꿀벌 인포그래픽" date: 2026-05-18 published: 2026-05-04 author: "Dragos Nistor" featured_image: "https://honeybeeandco.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/7B23B254-1568-49D7-ACDD-491D34E7E3F8.jpeg" categories: - name: "꿀벌 카테고리" url: "/ko/bees-category.md" tags: - name: "꿀벌 보전" url: "/ko/tag/bee-conservation.md" - name: "양봉" url: "/ko/tag/beekeeping.md" --- # 꿀벌 인포그래픽 Bees are the most important group of animal pollinators on Earth. Between 24,705 and 26,164 species are estimated to exist worldwide — a figure 18 to 25 percent higher than previously recognised — spanning seven families, every continent except Antarctica, and every terrestrial habitat from Arctic tundra to tropical rainforest. This complete reference covers their anatomy, biology, colony structure, communication, life cycle, role in global food security, the threats they now face, and what science says about saving them. ![Western honey bee Apis mellifera collecting nectar from a flower](https://honeybeeandco.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/bee-3971138_1920.jpg "Bees InfoGraphic 1") Western honey bee (Apis mellifera) foraging. Photography: honeybeeandco.uk 26,164 Estimated species Dorey et al., Nature Communications, Feb 2026 $577B Annual pollination value IPBES, 2016 upper estimate 75% Flowering plants need pollinators UNEP / FAO estimate 60% US colonies lost 2024-25 USDA ARS, June 2025 Chapter 01## What Are Bees? Taxonomy and Global Diversity Bees belong to the order Hymenoptera, the same order as wasps and ants, and to the superfamily Apoidea within that order. They diverged from predatory wasp ancestors around 130 million years ago, coinciding with the rise of flowering plants. The defining evolutionary shift was dietary: bees switched from hunting insects to collecting pollen, which is richer in protein and more reliable to source. All bees are classified within the clade Anthophila, which sits inside Apoidea alongside the sphecoid wasps. Seven families contain all known bee species: **벌과** (the largest, including honey bees, bumblebees, stingless bees and carpenter bees), **할릭티과** (sweat bees), **콜레티과** (plasterer bees), **메가킬리과** (mason and leafcutter bees), **안드레니과** (mining bees), **멜리트과** 그리고 **Stenotritidae**. 킹덤 동물계 주문 막시류 Superfamily Apoidea Clade Anthophila Families 7 Known genera ~450+ Described species ~20,000 Estimated species 24,705-26,164 A landmark study published in *네이처 커뮤니케이션즈* in February 2026, led by Dr James Dorey of the University of Wollongong, provided the first statistically derived global estimate of bee species richness. At current rates of approximately 117 new species described per year, filling that gap would take 32 to 45 years. The authors highlighted particularly high undescribed biodiversity in Asia, Africa and the Americas. "Bees are a keystone group. Their diversity underpins healthy environments and resilient agriculture. If we don't understand how many species there are, we're missing a key part of the puzzle." Dr James Dorey, University of Wollongong — Nature Communications, 2026 ### Species Diversity by Continent Bee diversity is not evenly distributed. The Americas, and particularly the United States, contain the highest concentrations of described species. However, the 2026 global estimate suggests that Africa and Asia hold substantially more undescribed species than previously thought. Americas (North + South)~8,000+ USA alone holds ~4,000 described species (USGS). South America includes Trigona stingless bees and many endemic Andean species. Africa~3,000+ High undescribed species predicted by Dorey et al. 2026. Home to the African honey bee (Apis mellifera scutellata) and hundreds of endemic Halictidae. Asia~3,500+ Highest estimated undescribed diversity globally. Home to all other Apis species: A. dorsata (giant honey bee), A. florea (dwarf honey bee), A. cerana (Asian honey bee). Europe~2,000 Best-documented region. Approximately 2,000 species, including 275 in Great Britain. Strong data from museum collections dating to the 1800s. Australia + Pacific~2,000+ Home to Megachile pluto (Wallace's giant bee, world's largest) and native Tetragonula stingless bees. High endemism. The Most Bee-Rich Country on EarthThe United States is home to more bee species than any other country, with over 4,000 described native species according to the US Geological Survey. This includes the rusty patched bumblebee (Bombus affinis), added to the Endangered Species List in 2017, and Franklin's bumblebee (Bombus franklini), which has not been reliably sighted since 2006. By contrast, Great Britain has approximately 275 bee species: 1 honey bee species, 24 bumblebee species (7 of which are rare or scarce), and around 250 solitary bee species. ### Social vs Solitary: The Two Great Strategies Contrary to popular image, the vast majority of bee species are solitary. Around 85 percent of bees do not live in colonies. Each solitary female builds her own nest, provisions it with pollen and nectar for her larvae, and never meets her offspring. Only around 15 percent of species are social to any degree, and full eusociality, with a reproductive queen, sterile workers and overlapping generations, evolved multiple times independently across bee families. Solitary ~85% Social ~15% Parasitic (cuckoo) ~10% *Parasitic bees, known as cleptoparasites, lay their eggs in other bees' nests rather than building their own. Many Nomada species (nomad bees) do exactly this.* Chapter 02## Anatomy of a Honey Bee The western honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) body is divided into three main tagmata: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. All bees share this basic insect body plan, though size, colouration and specific structures vary enormously across species. The smallest bee in the world, *페르디타 미니마* of the American Southwest, measures just 2mm. The largest, Wallace's giant bee (*메가킬레 플루토*), reaches 39mm. Compound Eyes (x2) Each contains thousands of individual lenses (ommatidia). Bees see ultraviolet light invisible to humans, helping them locate nectar guides on flowers. They cannot see red. Simple Eyes / Ocelli (x3) Three simple eyes on top of the head detect light intensity and help the bee maintain stability during flight, particularly in low-light conditions. Antennae (x2) 12 segments in workers; 13 in drones. Used for smell, touch, taste, heat detection and measuring humidity. The Johnston's organ detects airflow and wing vibration. Proboscis (tongue) Elongated, hair-fringed tube for lapping nectar. Worker honey bees have a proboscis of approximately 6.3-6.6mm. Longer tongues are better suited to tubular flowers. Wings (x4 total) Two pairs, connected by hooks during flight. Beat 200-230 times per second. Move in a figure-eight pattern rather than back-and-forth, generating the lift needed to carry loads up to 60% of body weight. Pollen Baskets (corbiculae) Concave surfaces on the hind tibia fringed with stiff hairs. Unique to bees. A single forager can carry up to 35mg of pollen in its corbiculae, roughly half its own body weight. Honey Stomach (crop) A specialised second stomach that holds nectar during transport. Holds up to 40mg of nectar. Contains invertase and glucose oxidase enzymes which begin converting nectar to honey during the return flight. Wax Glands (x4 pairs) Located on the underside of the abdomen in worker bees. Secrete liquid wax which hardens into scales on contact with air. Bees must consume 6-8kg of honey to produce 1kg of beeswax. Stinger Present in workers and the queen; absent in drones. The worker stinger has a barb that anchors in mammal skin, causing the stinger and venom sac to tear from the bee's body. The bee dies as a result. Queen stingers are smooth and can be used repeatedly. Branched Body Hairs The defining feature of all bees: their body hairs are branched or feathery (plumose), unlike the simple hairs of wasps. This helps trap and carry pollen far more efficiently. Flight PhysicsFor decades, scientists claimed bumblebee flight was "aerodynamically impossible" according to classical fixed-wing theory. Researchers now understand that bees generate vortices at the leading edge of their wings, creating a low-pressure zone that provides lift. This dynamic stall mechanism allows them to carry loads that would be impossible for fixed-wing aircraft of equivalent size. A honey bee in flight travels at approximately 25 km/h without a load and around 18-20 km/h when fully laden with pollen or nectar. It can range up to 8 km from the hive, though most foraging takes place within a 3 km radius. Chapter 03## Colony Structure: Queen, Workers and Drones A honey bee colony is one of the most complex societies in the animal kingdom. In peak summer, a single hive contains between 50,000 and 80,000 individuals functioning as a superorganism, with labour divided not merely by role but by age. No individual bee survives alone for long; the colony, not the individual, is the true biological unit. 80k Peak colony Workers ~98% of colony. All infertile females. All labour, foraging, nursing, defence. 드론 Hundreds to a few thousand. Males. Sole purpose: mating with virgin queens. Queen One per colony. The only fertile female. Lays up to 2,000-3,000 eggs per day. ### The Queen A queen bee begins life as an ordinary fertilised egg. The colony's decision to raise a queen is made by the workers, who select several young larvae and feed them exclusively on royal jelly, a protein-rich secretion from the hypopharyngeal glands of young nurse bees. Royal jelly triggers different gene expression pathways, causing the larva to develop larger ovaries, a longer abdomen and greater longevity. A healthy queen lives three to five years, compared to six weeks for a summer worker. She releases a complex mixture of pheromones, collectively called queen substance, which suppresses ovary development in all workers, inhibits rearing of new queens and communicates her presence throughout the colony. When queen substance levels drop, workers begin raising supersedure queens. ### Workers and the Age Polyethism System Worker bees perform different jobs based on their age, a principle called age polyethism. This allows the colony to optimise task allocation without any central command. A worker bee cycles through the following roles in sequence: Age (days) Role Key activity 1-3 Cell cleaner Cleans and polishes brood cells; first warm-up of the hive interior 3-11 Nurse bee Feeds larvae with secreted brood food; tends the queen; hypopharyngeal glands active 12-17 Wax maker / builder Wax glands peak; constructs honeycomb; receives and processes nectar from foragers 18-21 Guard bee Stands at the hive entrance; inspects arrivals by chemical signature; repels intruders 21+ Forager Collects nectar, pollen, propolis and water; performs waggle dance on return; flies up to 8km from hive ### 드론 Drones are male bees, produced from unfertilised eggs via parthenogenesis (haplodiploidy), meaning they have only one set of chromosomes. They perform no foraging, nursing or wax production. Their single biological purpose is to mate with a virgin queen during a nuptial flight. After mating, a drone dies immediately. Drones that do not mate are expelled from the hive by workers at the end of summer and die from cold and starvation within days. Haplodiploidy: The Bee Sex Determination SystemIn bees, sex is determined not by sex chromosomes but by ploidy level. Fertilised eggs (diploid, two chromosome sets) become females (workers or queens). Unfertilised eggs (haploid, one chromosome set) become males (drones). This system, called haplodiploidy, means that drones have no father and cannot have sons, but they do have grandfathers and can have grandsons. A queen stores sperm from multiple drones in her spermatheca and can choose whether to fertilise each egg individually. Chapter 04## The Waggle Dance: One of Nature's Most Complex Languages The honey bee waggle dance is one of the most remarkable forms of animal communication ever discovered. Described in detail by Nobel Prize-winning zoologist Karl von Frisch in 1967, it is a symbolic language that encodes the direction, distance and quality of a food source in a single choreographed movement, performed in complete darkness on the vertical surface of a comb. ### How the Dance Works A returning forager runs in a straight line while waggling her abdomen, then circles back alternately left and right to repeat the run. Three variables carry the message: **Direction:** The angle of the waggle run relative to vertical equals the angle between the food source and the sun, measured from the hive. **Distance:** The duration of each waggle run communicates distance. Approximately 75 milliseconds of waggling indicates 100 metres; 1 second indicates around 1 kilometre. **Quality:** The number of circuits and the energy of the dance communicates the richness of the source. Better sources produce longer, more vigorous dances that attract more recruits. Nobel Prize, 1973Karl von Frisch shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for decoding the waggle dance, alongside Konrad Lorenz and Nikolaas Tinbergen. Temporal compensationBees mentally account for the movement of the sun across the sky. A bee dancing inside a dark hive automatically adjusts the angle of her waggle run as the sun moves, so that recruits leaving later still find the correct location. Researchers have since discovered that bees perform a simpler version of the waggle dance called the round dance to indicate sources within 50 metres, and a transitional sickle dance for intermediate distances. The waggle dance is unique to the genus Apis among all insect groups. Stingless bees (Meliponini) use acoustic signals, scent trails and small deposits of resin to communicate food locations. Chapter 05## Life Cycle: From Egg to Adult All bees undergo complete metamorphosis (holometabolism), passing through four distinct stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult. The duration of each stage and the total development time varies significantly between castes within honey bee colonies and between different bee species globally. Egg 3 days1.6mm cylindrical egg, placed upright. Falls horizontal by day 3. Fertilised eggs become females; unfertilised become drones. Larva 5-6 daysLegless, white, C-shaped grub. Fed by nurse bees. Increases body weight 1,500-fold. Cell capped with wax on day 8-9. Pupa 7-14 daysComplete transformation. Wings, legs, compound eyes and internal organs develop. Body darkens toward emergence. Adult chews out of cellChews through the wax cap. Begins immediately as nurse bee. Lifespan: 6 weeks (summer worker) to 5 months (winter bee) to 5 years (queen). ### Development Time by Caste Caste Egg Larva Pupa Total Adult lifespan Queen 3 days 5 days 8 days **16 days** 3-5 years Worker 3 days 6 days 12 days **21 days** 6 weeks (summer) / 4-5 months (winter) Drone 3 days 6.5 days 14.5 days **24 days** 4-8 weeks (expelled in autumn) Source: Virginia Tech Extension, Honey Bee Biology and Beekeeping, Prof. Rick Fell. "The queen is produced from an identical egg to the worker. The difference is entirely environmental: royal jelly, fed exclusively and abundantly from the earliest larval stage, activates different developmental pathways through epigenetic mechanisms." Kucharski et al. (2008), Science, "Nutritional Control of Reproductive Status in Honeybees via DNA Methylation" ![HoneyBee & Co. Raw Acacia Honey 280g jar](https://honeybeeandco.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/acacia-honey-600x749-1.avif "Bees InfoGraphic 2")From Our Apiary 생 아카시아 꿀 The honey produced by these extraordinary colonies. Slow-crystallising, light-coloured and delicate. From six generations of Transylvanian beekeeping. From £8.79/month on subscription. [Explore Acacia Honey](https://honeybeeandco.uk/ko/%ec%95%84%ec%b9%b4%ec%8b%9c%ec%95%84-%ea%bf%80/) Chapter 06## Pollination and Global Food Security Pollination by bees underpins approximately one-third of global human food production. Of the 100 crop varieties that supply 90 percent of the world's food, 71 are pollinated by bees, according to the United Nations Environment Programme. Without them, vast categories of food, from almonds and apples to coffee and cacao, would face severe production shortfalls or complete collapse. Annual global economic value Between $235 billion and $577 billion of global food production depends on bee pollination every year. Source: IPBES Global Assessment, 2016; FAO State of the World's Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture, 2019 ### Crops Most Dependent on Bee Pollination Almonds ~100% Blueberries ~90% Cucumbers ~80% Apples ~75% Strawberries ~65% Oilseed rape ~45% Soya beans ~30% Source: Klein et al. (2007), Proceedings of the Royal Society B: "Importance of pollinators in changing landscapes for world crops." PMC via NCBI. Bee pollination does not merely increase yield. A peer-reviewed study published in *PLOS ONE* demonstrated that strawberries pollinated by bees were heavier, had fewer malformations and reached higher commercial grades than wind- or self-pollinated fruit. They were also firmer, extending commercially important shelf life by a measurable margin and reducing waste. The study calculated that bee pollination accounted for approximately 0.32 billion euros of the 1.44 billion euros in bee-pollination value to the EU strawberry market alone. The Almond DependencyAlmonds are the most bee-dependent major crop on Earth. California produces around 80 percent of the global almond supply. Every February, an estimated 1.8 million honey bee colonies, representing roughly 70 percent of all commercially managed US colonies, are trucked into the San Joaquin Valley for the three-week almond pollination window. No bees; no almonds. This annual migration is the largest pollination event on the planet, and it is also the context in which the catastrophic 2025 US colony collapse first became apparent. Chapter 07## How Bees Make Honey Honey is not simply collected nectar. It is a transformed substance, enzymatically processed, chemically concentrated and naturally preserved by a colony working collectively over several days. A single 280g jar of honey represents the combined lifetimes of roughly 22 forager bees and the nectar of approximately 1 million individual flower visits. 1 Nectar collection A forager bee visits 50-100 flowers per flight and carries up to 40mg of nectar in her honey stomach. During transport, invertase enzymes begin breaking sucrose into glucose and fructose. A single forager makes approximately 10 collecting trips per day and covers up to 2-3 km from the hive in most conditions. 2 Nectar handoff and initial processing On return to the hive, the forager passes nectar mouth-to-mouth to a house bee, a process called trophallaxis. This continues between multiple bees for up to 20 minutes, during which more invertase and glucose oxidase are added. Glucose oxidase will later produce gluconic acid and hydrogen peroxide, both of which contribute to honey's antimicrobial properties. 3 Evaporation and concentration Nectar arrives at roughly 80 percent water content. Bees must reduce this to below 18-20 percent for honey to be stable. Workers spread the nectar in thin layers across uncapped cells and fan it vigorously with their wings, creating airflow that accelerates evaporation. This process takes several days and requires substantial colony-wide effort. 4 Capping with beeswax Once the moisture content drops below approximately 18-20 percent, the honey is stable: too concentrated for microbial growth. Workers cap each cell with a thin layer of white wax. The wax starts white and darkens as bees walk across it. Capped honey is the finished product. 5 Harvesting (beekeeping) Responsible beekeepers harvest only surplus honey, leaving sufficient stores for the colony to overwinter, typically 18-25kg per colony in a British climate. Frames are removed, the wax capping is cut or scratched away, and honey is extracted by centrifugal force. Raw honey is then filtered to remove debris and bottled without heat treatment, preserving enzymes, pollen, propolis traces and aromatic compounds. "It takes a forager bee an entire lifetime of work to produce one-twelfth of a teaspoon of honey. Every jar represents thousands of hours of collective labour across an entire colony." BBKA (British Beekeepers Association) — Honey Fact Sheets ![Three generations of the Nistor beekeeping family: Fanel, Grigore and Dragos Nistor in Transylvania](https://honeybeeandco.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Nistor-Fanel-Nistor-Grigore-and-Nistor-Dragos.jpg "Bees InfoGraphic 3")Six Generations of Beekeeping Heritage HoneyBee and Co. was founded on a family tradition of Transylvanian beekeeping stretching back six generations. The honey we bring to Britain is produced in the pristine, wildflower-rich forests and meadows of Romania, where bees forage across landscapes untouched by intensive agriculture. Our [raw British honey](https://honeybeeandco.uk/ko/our-honey/) reflects everything this article describes: the biology, the labour and the ecological relationship between bee and flower that makes genuine raw honey unlike anything else. Chapter 08## The Crisis: Threats Facing Bees Worldwide Bee populations globally are in measurable decline. A 2021 study in *One Earth*, drawing on Global Biodiversity Information Facility data, found that the number of bee species being observed or collected has been declining since the 1990s across all continents where sufficient data exists. In the United States, commercial beekeepers reported the highest annual colony losses ever recorded for the 2024-2025 season. USDA Alert — 2025 60%+ of US colonies lost Between summer 2024 and spring 2025, 1.7 million commercial honey bee colonies were lost across the United States, representing more than 60 percent of commercial colonies. USDA ARS scientists identified amitraz-resistant Varroa destructor mites as the primary driver, compounded by the viruses those mites carry. Source: USDA ARS press release, June 2, 2025. Manuscript under peer review. Published via USDA.gov. Critical 바로아 디스트럭터Parasitic mite that feeds on bee organs and transmits viruses including Deformed Wing Virus and Acute Bee Paralysis Virus. Now developing resistance to the primary treatment (amitraz) in US colonies. Present in every major beekeeping region except Australia. 62% Average commercial colony loss, US 2024-25 (Project Apis M.) Critical Habitat LossConversion of flower-rich grassland, hedgerows and meadows to intensive monoculture agriculture removes the forage bees need across entire landscapes. The UK has lost 97 percent of its wildflower meadows since the 1930s (Natural England). 97% UK wildflower meadows lost since 1930s (Natural England) 높음 농약Neonicotinoids impair bee navigation, memory and reproduction at sub-lethal doses. Multiple peer-reviewed studies link them to reduced colony growth and forager mortality. The EU banned three neonicotinoids (imidacloprid, clothianidin, thiamethoxam) for outdoor use in 2018. EU 2018 Outdoor neonicotinoid ban across EU member states 높음 Climate ChangeWarming temperatures disrupt the synchrony between bee emergence and flower bloom (phenological mismatch). Extended warm autumns cause bees to exhaust winter stores early. Research from Cornell (2024) found that warmer, longer fall seasons significantly increase winter colony losses. 2-3x Colony loss risk increase in warmer autumn seasons (ScienceDaily, 2024) Significant Disease and PathogensAmerican Foulbrood (Paenibacillus larvae), European Foulbrood (Melissococcus plutonius), Nosema fungal infections and Chalkbrood all threaten colony health. Many pathogens spread via shared equipment and migratory beekeeping practices. Significant Invasive SpeciesThe Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) reached Great Britain in 2023 and is now established. It predates honey bees at hive entrances, forcing colonies into defensive postures that drastically reduce foraging. The small hive beetle is an additional threat in warmer regions. 2023 Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) confirmed established in Great Britain The interconnection between bee health and human nutrition is not abstract. The [nutritional profile of raw honey](https://honeybeeandco.uk/ko/%ea%bf%80-%eb%8c%80-%ec%84%a4%ed%83%95/) — its enzymes, antioxidants and bioactive compounds — exists precisely because bees process nectar in this extraordinarily complex way. Supporting genuine raw honey from responsible beekeepers is one direct way consumers participate in the ecology these statistics describe. Chapter 09## Conservation: What the Science Recommends Bee conservation requires action at multiple scales simultaneously, from government agricultural policy to individual garden choices. The scientific consensus, expressed across IPBES reports, FAO policy papers and peer-reviewed ecology literature, identifies a consistent set of high-impact interventions. ![UK wildflower meadow in summer — habitat critical to wild bee populations](IMAGE_MEADOW_URL "Bees InfoGraphic 4") Wildflower meadows provide the diverse forage that sustains wild bee populations. Britain has lost 97 percent of its wildflower meadows since the 1930s. Image: \[add credit\]Plant for diversity, not just quantity Research shows bees need a succession of flowering plants from early spring (crocus, willow) through late autumn (ivy, Michaelmas daisy). Single-species plantings benefit only certain bee types. Native plant species generally provide more accessible pollen and nectar than many ornamental cultivars with modified flowers. Leave nesting habitat undisturbed 70 percent of British solitary bee species nest in bare soil. Heavily mulched or turfed gardens remove nesting sites. Leaving south-facing bare patches, hollow stems and log piles significantly increases solitary bee populations. Mason bee boxes work if sited correctly, facing south-east, 1-2 metres above ground. Eliminate or reduce pesticide use The Soil Association and BBKA both advise avoiding all neonicotinoid products in gardens. Even approved insecticides can harm bees at sub-lethal doses. If treatment is necessary, apply in the evening when bees are not foraging, and avoid application to open flowers. Support landscape-scale conservation Individual gardens matter, but the IUCN and BBKA both note that landscape-scale habitat connectivity is the critical factor. Support land management schemes such as England's Countryside Stewardship programme, which pays farmers to establish wildflower margins and maintain hedgerows. Buy raw honey from responsible beekeepers Traceable raw honey from traditional beekeepers who do not over-harvest, use ethical winter feeding practices and maintain natural hive environments supports sustainable apiculture. SALSA-certified British suppliers operate under verifiable food safety and welfare standards. [Learn about our honey sourcing.](https://honeybeeandco.uk/ko/our-honey/) Monitor and report sightings The UK's BeeWalk survey (Bumblebee Conservation Trust) and iNaturalist globally depend on citizen science observations to track population trends. Submitting bee sightings directly feeds the data that informs conservation policy at a national and European level. Chapter 10## British Bees: A Field Reference Great Britain is home to 275 bee species, including 1 managed honey bee species, 24 bumblebee species and approximately 250 solitary species. The UK's moderate oceanic climate, diverse agricultural landscapes and long botanical tradition mean that British bees are among the best-studied in the world, with occurrence records stretching back to Victorian museum collections. ![Buff-tailed bumblebee Bombus terrestris on a thistle flower in a British meadow](IMAGE_BUMBLEBEE_URL "Bees InfoGraphic 5") Buff-tailed bumblebee (Bombus terrestris), the most common bumblebee in Britain. Identifiable by the pale buff tail in queens and the white tail in male workers. Image: \[add credit\] 종 유형 Flight season Status Key note Apis mellifera Western honey bee Social / managed Mar-Oct LC The managed honey bee. Native to Africa and Middle East; naturalised globally for millennia. Bombus terrestris Buff-tailed bumblebee Social / wild Jan-Dec (queens active almost year-round in south) LC Most abundant UK bumblebee. Large colonies; important crop pollinator. Bombus pascuorum Common carder bee Social / wild Apr-Oct LC Ginger-brown; nests in surface grass. Long tongue: specialist at tubular flowers. Bombus lapidarius Red-tailed bumblebee Social / wild Mar-Oct LC Black body, red tail. Highly visible; nests in old rodent burrows. Bombus humilis Brown-banded carder bee Social / wild May-Sep 감소하는 Lost over 60% of UK range since the 1960s. Depends on flower-rich grassland. Bombus distinguendus Great yellow bumblebee Social / wild Jun-Aug 희귀 Now restricted to North Scotland and Orkney. Requires unimproved machair grassland. Bombus subterraneus Short-haired bumblebee Social / wild Jun-Aug UK Extinct Last seen 1988 in UK. Reintroduction project ongoing using Swedish queens at RSPB Dungeness. Osmia bicornis Red mason bee Solitary Apr-Jun LC Important early-season pollinator. Nests in hollow stems and mason bee boxes. Female has horns on face. 메가킬레 센툰쿨라리스 Patchwork leafcutter bee Solitary Jun-Aug LC Cuts neat semi-circles from rose and other leaves to line nest cells. Carries pollen on abdomen, not legs. 안드레나 풀바 Tawny mining bee Solitary Mar-Jun LC Common garden bee. Nests in short grass lawns. Females bright orange-red; males smaller and browner. Halictus rubicundus Orange-legged furrow bee 원시적 진사회성 Apr-Sep LC Interesting intermediate case: solitary in cooler northern UK; forms small social colonies in warmer south. Status codes: LC = Least Concern (IUCN or UK BAP); Declining = measured range or abundance contraction documented; Rare = restricted UK range; UK Extinct = no longer present in Great Britain as a self-sustaining wild population. Source: [Bees, Wasps and Ants Recording Society (BWARS)](https://www.bwars.com); IUCN Red List; Natural England Species Recovery Programme data. Asian Hornet in Britain: Current StatusVespa velutina nigrithorax, the yellow-legged Asian hornet, was first confirmed in Britain in 2016 and became established in 2023. It predates honey bees by hawking at hive entrances, forcing colonies into prolonged defensive clustering that dramatically reduces foraging. The hornet has spread extensively across continental Europe since arriving in France in 2004. The UK National Bee Unit operates a public sighting reporting scheme. If you see a large hornet with a dark body, yellow-orange face and yellow leg tips, report it immediately to the Great Britain Non-Native Species Secretariat at **alertnonnative.ceh.ac.uk**. Do not disturb nests. Raw Honey From Six Generations of Beekeeping Every jar directly supports the bee population and traditional beekeeping practices described in this article. 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This is 18 to 25 percent higher than previously recognised, as thousands of species are estimated to remain scientifically undescribed, particularly in Asia, Africa and the Americas. Approximately 20,000 species have been formally described to date. 꿀벌과 땅벌의 차이점은 무엇인가요?둘 다 벌과(Apidae)에 속하는 사회성 벌이지만, 군집 구조와 생활 주기 면에서 상당한 차이를 보입니다. 꿀벌(Apis 속)은 최대 80,000마리로 구성된 다년생 군집을 유지하며, 이 군집은 수년 동안 생존하고, 대량의 꿀을 비축하며, 밀랍으로 만든 벌집에서 삽니다. 땅벌(Bombus 속)은 50~400마리로 구성된 1년 단위의 군집을 형성하며, 군집의 일일 소비량에 충분한 소량의 꿀만 비축하고, 땅속이나 기존의 구멍에 둥지를 틉니다. 땅벌은 꿀벌보다 몸매가 더 둥글고 털이 더 많으며 일반적으로 크기도 더 크며, 추운 기후와 저조도 환경에서의 먹이 찾기에 더 잘 적응해 있습니다. 꿀벌은 인간의 식량 생산에 왜 중요한가요?꿀벌은 인간이 식량으로 의존하는 꽃피는 식물 종의 약 75%에 대한 주요 수분 매개체입니다. 전 세계 식량 공급의 90%를 차지하는 100가지 작물 중 71가지는 꿀벌에 의해 수분됩니다. 이 수분 서비스의 연간 경제적 가치는 전 세계적으로 $235억에서 $577억 사이로 추정된다(IPBES, 2016). 꿀벌이 없다면 아몬드, 사과, 블루베리, 오이, 아보카도, 커피 및 기타 수많은 작물의 생산이 붕괴되거나 수확량과 품질이 심각하게 저하될 것입니다. 벌은 어떻게 꿀을 만들까요?채집벌은 꽃에서 꿀물을 모아 특화된 꿀주머니에 저장하는데, 이곳에서 효소가 작용하여 자당을 포도당과 과당으로 분해하기 시작합니다. 벌집으로 돌아온 채집벌은 트로팔락시스(입에서 입으로의 전달)를 통해 꿀물을 일벌들에게 전달하며, 이 과정에서 포도당 산화효소를 비롯한 추가적인 효소가 더해집니다. 그런 다음 꿀벌들은 밀봉되지 않은 벌집 칸에 꿀을 골고루 펴 바르고, 날개로 바람을 일으켜 수분 함량을 약 80%에서 18~20% 미만으로 낮춥니다. 이 기준치에 도달하면 꿀은 안정화되며 얇은 밀랍 뚜껑으로 밀봉됩니다. 이 전체 과정은 며칠이 걸리며, 한 번에 수백 마리의 꿀벌이 조화를 이루어 협력해야 합니다. ‘와글 댄스’란 무엇이며, 이를 통해 어떤 정보를 전달하나요?와글 댄스는 어두운 벌통 내부의 벌집 수직면에서 꿀벌 채집벌들이 수행하는 8자 모양의 움직임이다. 칼 폰 프리쉬(1973년 노벨상 수상자)가 최초로 해독한 이 춤은 세 가지 변수를 통해 먹이원의 위치를 전달합니다. 수직선을 기준으로 한 중심 와글 런의 각도는 태양을 기준으로 한 먹이원의 방향을 나타내고, 각 와글 동작의 지속 시간은 거리를 나타내며(100미터당 약 75밀리초), 춤의 강도와 반복 횟수는 먹이원의 품질을 나타냅니다. 또한 꿀벌들은 하늘을 가로지르는 태양의 움직임을 반영하기 위해 시간이 지남에 따라 춤의 각도를 조정합니다. 왜 꿀벌 개체수가 줄어들고 있을까요?여러 가지 요인이 복합적으로 작용하며 전 세계적으로 꿀벌 개체 수가 감소하고 있습니다. 꿀벌의 장기를 먹이로 삼고 기형날개바이러스(Deformed Wing Virus)를 비롯한 바이러스를 전파하는 바로아 데스트럭터(Varroa destructor) 진드기는 사육 꿀벌 군집에 대한 주요 위협으로 간주되며, 특히 현재 미국 내 군집에서 바로아 진드기가 주요 살진드기제(아미트라즈)에 광범위한 내성을 보이고 있는 상황입니다. 서식지 손실, 특히 1930년대 이후 영국 야생화 초원의 97%가 파괴됨에 따라 꿀벌이 필요로 하는 다양한 먹이원이 사라지고 있다. 네오니코티노이드계 농약은 꿀벌의 방향 감각, 기억력 및 번식 능력을 저해한다. 기후 변화는 꿀벌의 출현 시기와 꽃 피는 시기를 뒤틀고 있다. 미국에서는 2024년 여름부터 2025년 봄 사이에 상업 양봉업자들이 군집의 60% 이상을 잃었는데, 이는 현대 양봉 역사상 기록된 가장 심각한 손실 사건이다. 대부분의 벌은 독거성인가, 아니면 군집성인가?전체 벌 종의 약 85%는 독거성 벌입니다. 각 독거성 암컷은 다른 벌의 도움 없이 스스로 둥지를 짓고, 꽃가루와 꿀을 모으며, 알을 낳습니다. 그녀는 자신의 자손을 결코 만나지 못합니다. 독거성 벌에는 벽돌벌, 잎자르기벌, 땅파는벌, 땀벌 등이 포함됩니다. 어느 정도라도 사회성을 보이는 벌 종은 전체의 약 15%에 불과하며, 번식 능력이 있는 여왕벌과 불임 일벌로 구성된 완전한 진사회성은 벌의 각 과에서 여러 차례 독립적으로 진화했습니다. 사회성 종에는 꿀벌, 땅벌, 무침벌 등이 포함됩니다. 벌은 얼마나 오래 살까요?수명은 계급과 계절에 따라 극적으로 달라집니다. 여름철 일벌은 약 6주 동안 살며, 그 시간의 대부분을 먹이를 모으는 데 보내기 때문에 날개와 비행 근육이 물리적으로 닳아 버립니다. 반면, 가을에 태어나 여분의 지방을 비축한 겨울철 일벌은 비행보다는 군집 속에서 대부분의 시간을 보내기 때문에 4~5개월 동안 삽니다. 꿀벌 여왕벌은 3~5년 동안 살 수 있습니다. 땅벌 여왕벌은 최대 1년까지 살며, 땅벌 일벌은 4~6주밖에 살지 못합니다. 대부분의 독거벌 종은 성충으로 6~8주 정도만 살지만, 종에 따라 번데기나 성충 상태로 겨울을 나기도 합니다. Continue reading [Honey EducationHow Do Bees Make Honey? The Complete Process Explained](https://honeybeeandco.uk/ko/how-do-bees-make-honey/) [Honey Facts8 Fascinating Facts About Honey You Probably Did Not Know](https://honeybeeandco.uk/ko/8-facts-about-honey/) [NutritionHoney vs Sugar: A Comprehensive Nutritional Comparison](https://honeybeeandco.uk/ko/%ea%bf%80-%eb%8c%80-%ec%84%a4%ed%83%95/) ## 출처 및 참고 문헌 1. Dorey, J.B. et al. (2026). "Estimating global bee species richness and taxonomic gaps." *네이처 커뮤니케이션즈*. Published 24 February 2026. [doi:10.1038/s41467-026-69029-4](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-69029-4) 2. Zattara, E.E. and Aizen, M.A. (2021). "Worldwide occurrence records reflect a global decline in bee species richness." *One Earth*, 4(1), 114-123. [ScienceDirect](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590332220306515) 3. Klein, A.M. et al. (2007). "Importance of pollinators in changing landscapes for world crops." *Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences*, 274(1608), 303-313. PMC via NCBI. 4. IPBES (2016). *The Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services on Pollinators, Pollination and Food Production.* Potts, S.G. et al. (eds). Secretariat of the IPBES, Bonn, Germany. 5. Kucharski, R. et al. (2008). "Nutritional Control of Reproductive Status in Honeybees via DNA Methylation." *Science*, 319(5871), 1827-1830. 6. Von Frisch, K. (1967). *The Dance Language and Orientation of Bees.* Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA. (Nobel Prize awarded 1973.) 7. Fell, R.D. *Honey Bee Biology: The Basis of Beekeeping.* Virginia Tech Extension / Carroll County Beekeepers. Virginia Cooperative Extension Service. 8. USDA ARS (2025). "USDA Researchers Find Viruses from Miticide-Resistant Parasitic Mites are Cause of Recent Honey Bee Colony Collapses." Press release, 2 June 2025. [USDA.gov](https://www.ars.usda.gov/news-events/news/research-news/2025/usda-researchers-find-viruses-from-miticide-resistant-parasitic-mites-are-cause-of-recent-honey-bee-colony-collapses/) 9. Lamas, Z.S. et al. (2025). "Viruses and vectors tied to honey bee colony losses." Pre-print, biorxiv. Under peer review at time of publication. 10. Klatt, B.K. et al. (2014). "Bee pollination improves crop quality, shelf life and commercial value." *PLOS ONE*, 9(5), e97611. [PMC3866401](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3866401/) 11. Ascher, J.S. and Pickering, J. (2024). Discover Life bee species guide and world checklist (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila). [DiscoverLife.org](https://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?guide=Apoidea_species) 12. BWARS — Bees, Wasps and Ants Recording Society. UK Bee Species Checklist and Conservation Status Data. [bwars.com](https://www.bwars.com) 13. Natural England (2014). *England's Wildflower Meadows: Area, Distribution and Trends.* Natural England Evidence Review, NEER009. 14. Britannica (2025). "Honeybee." Encyclopaedia Britannica. Reviewed and updated May 2025. [britannica.com](https://www.britannica.com/animal/honeybee) 15. Honey Bee Research Centre (HBRC). "Honey Bee Anatomy." [hbrc.ca](https://hbrc.ca/honey-bee-anatomy/) 16. Stokstad, E. (2025). "Bee colony collapse threatens U.S. food supply." *Food Tank*, August 2025. Reporting on USDA ARS findings. 17. BBKA — British Beekeepers Association. Honey bee facts and bee health data. [bbka.org.uk](https://www.bbka.org.uk)