Perchance might any of you be a Melittologist?

[bhu]

I need some info on bees.

[dman11235]

Apiarist.  Vespologist would be wasps.  And it would be...Apiologist?  Apiarist keeps bees.  But!  I have a cousin/uncle/etc who are apiarists!  They have an almond farm in CA, and a set of apiaries they use in the area farms.  So what's the stuff you need?

EDIT: Melittologist.  That's a bee scientist.  I...actually can't find what a wasp scientist is called, but I think it would be vespologist.  I have /no idea/ why melitt is a prefix for bees, apis is the family name for them, so....

EDIT2: Vespology is indeed the study of wasps.  Because one family, the common wasp, is Vespidae.  And apparently melitt is greek for bee.

[wotmaniac]

I once sustained 27 hornet stings at one time -- does that count?
BTW, I don't recommend that, 'cause that shit f'n hurts.

[dman11235]

My brother got stung in the eye once....yeah....paper wasps....

[wotmaniac]

That just good training right there.

[bhu]

Im looking for info on the sensory abilities, and physical quirks of various species.  I am adding a sequel to Little Veekie's Big Beehouse of Horrors.

[awaken_D_M_golem]

Bees communicate where flowers/nectar/wtf are, via dance moves.  Distance and angel via wiggles and twists and direction vectors, etc.  Also this is genetic, so they don't have to "learn" the language.

It's like the Buoman or the Dabus, except all V gets turned into S.

[dman11235]

Bees communicate with angels?

Some bees (if not all) can see ultraviolet light, and some (if not all) flowers have ultraviolet pigments in their petals which act as a runway for the bees.  Honey is non-perishable, and the only food product that is manufactured by any species other than humans (some ants farm, but no other species manufactures a food).  They do this by slightly fermenting nectar and then drying it.

The Japanese honey bee will rub itself on giant hornets that are invading to cook them alive to defend the nest.  I did not know this until a friend just told me right now.  It is...wow, odd, but yeah, Nat Geo had a special on the bees....

[bhu]

Are there any who dont hibernate in winter? 

I'm focused mainly on the following: Sweat Bees, Bumblebees, Honey Bees, Carpenter Bees, Mason Bees, Hornfaced Bees, Digger Bees, Killer Bees, Cuckoo Bees, and Crow Bees.