albinele

Albinele is the Romanian term for bees, a group of flying insects that belong to the superfamily Apoidea within the order Hymenoptera. The word albină refers to a single bee, while albinele denotes bees in general, often focusing on the species most commonly associated with humans, such as the genus Apis. Bees include both social species, like the honey bee, and solitary species that nest and raise their young on their own.

Most bees are either eusocial or solitary. Honey bees (Apis mellifera and close relatives) live in colonies with a single queen, many female workers, and male drones. The queen lays eggs, workers perform foraging and colony maintenance, and drones mate with queens. Other bees nest independently in hollow stems, in the ground, or in cavities and do not form large colonies. Bees primarily collect nectar and pollen from flowers, using nectar for energy and pollen for protein; in doing so, they disperse pollen and enable plant reproduction.

Bees provide essential ecological services, most notably pollination, which supports biodiversity and agricultural yields. Humans have long managed some bee colonies for honey, wax, and pollination services, with beekeeping playing a significant role in agriculture and rural economies.

Threats to bees include habitat loss, pesticide exposure, pests such as Varroa destructor, diseases, and climate change. Conservation efforts focus on protecting diverse foraging habitats, reducing pesticide use, and supporting responsible beekeeping to sustain healthy bee populations and their vital ecological functions.