“Draw a Bee”: A Simple Activity Can Highlight Our Misperceptions & Introduce Bee Diversity

Ask most students to draw or color a bee, and their sketch will likely feature a large-bodied, circular, fuzzy, black and yellow striped insect resembling a bumblebee or indicating some honey-producing behavior. There is a large propensity for society to perceive of all bees in one generic group, as popular bee images across media are often portrayed morphologically and/or behaviorally incorrect, or misidentified entirely. By recognizing our own misperceptions, a focused drawing activity can provide the opportunity to introduce awareness and highlight the diversity of bees or other insects in an engaging manner.