Since 1992, the honey bee has been the state insect of Oklahoma, largely because it performs an important task in agriculture . The honeybee and its contributions to the world date back thousands of years and continue to be by far one of the most extraordinary animals in existence. Bees are used in research to detect drugs, bombs and cancer. Also in developing treatments for a whole host of human ailments, but that's just a part of the many things bees have brought to the human world. Bees and the products they produce have many diverse uses in cultures around the world. But above all, the pollination of plants is by far the most essential thing for humans. Bees are responsible for 80% of all insect pollination; they pollinate more than ninety fruit and vegetable crops around the world. If bees completely disappeared from our world, it would be devastating. We would be limited in our food choices and maybe worse. Albert Einstein once said, “If bees disappear, humanity will follow within four years.” » To better understand how vital bees are to the world, we must first better understand the bee itself. Bees have existed before recorded history, their origin dates back over 40 million years, and have remained physically and socially unchanged for 30 million years. Bees are not native to North America and are believed to have originated in tropical Africa. It is believed that they were brought here by Spanish and English settlers. Bees live together in a community called a colony. A colony consists of a queen bee, hundreds of male bees called drones, and thousands of female bees called workers. Colonies can reach up to 80,...... middle of paper ......ncer: Honey bees. November 24, 2012. the web. February 24, 2014. <>.More, Daphne. The Book of Bees: The history and natural history of the bee. New York: Universe Books, 1976. “Pollination” print. nd Bees for development. the canvas. February 2014. >."The World Encyclopedia Book." Flight. II BUSA: World Book Inc., 1987. 154-161. Print."Waggle Dance." Wikipedia. and Web. February 2014. Wagner, Holly, Geraldine Wright and Julie Mustard. Latest buzz in research: Intoxicated honey bees may give scientists clues about drunken human behavior. and Web. February 24, 2014. .Winston, Mark L. The Biology of the Honeybee. Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1987. Print.