Bee and flower on a DNA map. Honey bee (Apis mellifera) and flower on a DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) fragment analysis map. The honey bee genome is being studied to improve aspects such as reproduction, behavior and disease-resistance. Bees feed on the nectar and pollen produced by flowering plants, turning them into liquefied sugar (honey). They are important pollinators of these plants, carrying pollen between them on their hairy bodies and back legs.