The birds and the bees

When I was introduced to sex education in 5th grade public school, I now realize how I really didn't pay much attention to the "birds and the bees" but must have been more interested in human reproduction at the time. I think science class enlightened us to the idea that flowers need to be pollinated to reproduce, and that butterflies and other insects often carry pollen and seeds on their legs to other plants so that they can mix and multiply.

I also found as I moved into this home (and yard) that I didn't know much about plants and really didn't know much about insects and critters that inhabit the outdoors in the Minneapolis suburbs.

We are the proud hosts of a colony of bumble bees under our backyard shed. I understand from some websites that they are most likely bumble bees not honey bees. They are not wasps...as we rid the back of our garage of a wasp nest not too long ago. Those things are scary with the kids playing in the back yard. The ones we see coming and going from the shed are bumbly thick furry creatures who move from one flower to another and carry with them an insatiable thirst for nectar. Aparently the Queen Bee is the only one that overwinters in the nest, and the others all die off. She lays eggs in the springtime, and they become the worker bees who go off to find food for the colony. Amazing culture if you really think about it. How can this process of only one queen continue a breed of insects for such a long period of time?
Well...that's may be just one reason the honey bees are endangered and crops all over the world are suffering. I need to do more research about the differences in honey bees and bumble bees. When I find out more, I'll let you know.