Bees are flying insects closely related to waspsand ants, known for their role in pollination and, in the case of the best-known bee species, theEuropean honey bee, for producing honey andbeeswax. Bees are amonophyletic lineage within the superfamilyApoidea, presently considered as a cladeAnthophila. There are nearly 20,000 known species of bees in seven to nine recognized families, though many are undescribed and the actual number is probably higher. They are found on every continent exceptAntarctica, in every habitat on the planet that contains insect-pollinated flowering plants.
