(Shutterstock)

(Shutterstock)

Without bees, nearly a third of the plants consumed by humans wouldn’t exist. The hardworking pollinators may be tiny, but they have an enormous impact on the planet.

It is no surprise, then, that many American English phrases owe their origin to the work habits of bees. For example, you “make a beeline” when you move quickly and directly toward something.

Below are five more idiomatic phrases that take their inspiration from bees:

Queen bee

What it means: A person who holds the most important position in a place.
In conversation: “Marie is used to being the queen bee with her circle of friends.”

Busy as a bee

What it means: To be extremely busy; to be active; to do many things quickly.
In conversation: “Margaret is a CEO of a major company. She’s always busy as a bee.”

The bee’s knees

What it means: An outstanding person or thing.
In conversation: “You brought me chocolate for no reason. You’re the bee’s knees.”

Create a buzz

What it means: To create excitement; to create interest in something by people talking about it.
In conversation: “The new band’s first song created a huge buzz. As a result, the band became famous overnight.”

Have a bee in one’s bonnet

What it means: To be bothered by something and be focused on it.
In conversation: “The teacher has a bee in his bonnet about his students’ cheating.”

Learn more

ShareAmerica features materials on learning American English. Explore everyday conversations or learn idioms related to food, summer and soccer.

The American English website has a variety of free resources for learners and teachers of English. The American English Facebook page posts learning materials for English-language learners daily.