Despite their long coexistence with humans and vital role in the ecosystem, the origin and meaning of the word 'bee' remain elusive.

Its name is short — like its size —<strong> </strong>but bees are one of Earth's most important and busy creatures. <img alt="Bees in a hive in San Diego, Calif. Beekeeping has been a practice for thousands of years." src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/4500x3375+0+0/resize/4500x3375!/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fd9%2Fc2%2F4cc9d9194827b47ddd6b32c5660b%2F2026-05-beekeeping-anakkash-7.jpg" /><p>Its name is short — like its size —<strong> </stron...