Talk:bee

• I think the meanings of 'gathering' and 'contest' should probably be marked as North American usage. I'm familiar with those meanings from US TV etc., but I've never heard them used in England. I've not updated the article in case it's just me who happens not to have heard the word used in those ways. --Qef 23:10, 25 June 2010 (UTC)

  It's not just you. As a British English speaker, I'm completely unfamiliar with the "gathering" sense and know the "competition" sense only from the American "spelling bee" (a specific phrase that's understood in the UK). I've marked them both as (US). Thryduulf (talk) 23:48, 25 June 2010 (UTC)

I removed the US tag before I realised it's being discussed here. But I'm sure it is not limited to the US. Both are reasonable common in Australia, and I've heard them in the UK also.--Dmol 17:09, 2 August 2011 (UTC)

The newspaper meaning is missing.

What is the meaning of the term Bee when used for a newspaper, such as the Sacremento Bee.Dmol (talk) 04:07, 23 November 2012 (UTC)

Problems with definition

1. flying insect, of the superfamily Apoidea, known for their organised societies, for collecting pollen, and producing wax and honey.  

An entomologist will tell you that:

1. The current understanding of bee taxonomy is that bees are just a distinctive type of wasp that adapted to feeding on pollen instead of on other arthropods, so that the superfamily Apoidea now contains some non-bee wasp families.
2. Most bees are solitary
3. Most bees produce neither wax nor honey

The core meaning of bee as defined here is really honeybee, consisting of a few exceptional species that are well known because of their usefulness (though bumblebees sort of fit the definition). I'm not sure if I have a replacement definition, but I thought this should be pointed out. Chuck Entz (talk) 15:20, 3 January 2013 (UTC)