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Bees are social insects. They
live in colonies of thousands
of workers. Workers build
six-sided wax cells. The queen
bee lays one egg in each cell.
When the eggs hatch, the
worker bees feed and care for
the growing larvae. When the
larvae are fully grown, the
workers cover the cells with
wax. In a few days, the adult
bees come out, ready to go to
work. Feeding and caring for
the young is an adaptation
that improves the bee colony’s
chances of survival.
Human babies are helpless when they are born. They grow and
learn slowly. Human parents must spend years raising their offspring
before the offspring are ready to go out on their own. Providing years
of support and care is an adaptation that improves the chances that
human offspring will survive.
Humans raise
their offspring
for years.
A colony of bees
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