How much do you know about bees? - quiz

Common carder bumblebee feeding on Michaelmas daisy in Wales Photograph: Alamy

1. How many different species of bees are in the UK?

   1. 1

   2. 3

   3. 100

   4. 250-plus

2. Which of these foods is not pollinated by bees?

   1. Strawberries

   2. Rice

   3. Apples

   4. Almonds

3. 

   Bees pollinate what percentage of the world's main crops?

   1. 25%

   2. 33%

   3. 75%

   4. 90%

4. How many of the UK’s bee species make honey?

   1. 1

   2. 3

   3. 100

   4. 250+

5. When bees visit plants what are they after?

   1. Water

   2. Scent

   3. Mating ritual

   4. Pollen

6. 

   Which of these items of clothing depends on pollination by bees?

   1. Silk tie and scarf

   2. Cotton jeans and socks

   3. Woolly jumper

   4. Polyester walking gear

7. What is the main cause of bee decline?

   1. Pesticides

   2. Habitat loss

   3. Disease

   4. Climate change

8. How can I most help bees?

   1. Grow different plants for bees to visit all year round

   2. Deck your patio area

   3. Mow the lawn

   4. Use a pesticide to get rid of aphids

9. Which one of the following do you think is the honey bee?

   1. 

      Tawny Mining Bee

   2. 

      Honey Bee

   3. 

      Bumblebee

   4. 

      Hoverfly

Solutions

1:D - There are at least 250 in the UK – or 275 in Britain and Ireland. The majority of these are solitary bees, as well as over 24 species of bumblebee and 1 honey bee. , 2:B - Rice, like wheat and other grains, is wind pollinated. We would eat rice, pasta and porridge in a world without bees, but the quality and quantity of our food choices would be very dull. No strawberry jam! , 3:C - Bees pollinate 75% of the 100 most globally-traded crops. , 4:A - 1 – Only honey bees make honey, but all bees are important and help pollinate , 5:D - Bees visit plants for pollen and nectar. Nectar is carbohydrate and pollen is protein. They may also drink water from some plants. , 6:B - If you wear cotton, you should thank the bees for putting the shirt on your back., 7:B - The main cause is the loss of their habitat. This has been driven by how we farm and build things. Exposure to pesticides is also a factor compounding the problem. Pests and diseases are also harmful, especially in honey bees. Studies show that climate change is also starting to have an effect – for example, the flowering of plants being out of step with when bees are seeking food., 8:A - We can all be ‘beekeepers’ just by growing the right plants, shrubs, trees and vegetables for all types of bee – honey, bumble and solitary. Avoid the use of garden and household pesticides and herbicides., 9:B - Only a third of people got this right in a recent YouGov poll.

Scores

1. 5 and above.

   Not bad.

2. 8 and above.

   Buzzing brilliant!

3. 0 and above.

   Oh dear.