Sniffly allergies aside, springtime is thrilling—after trudging through the cold, dark days of winter, the world is finally teeming with life again. With the resurgence of flowers, trees, and bushes comes the reappearance of creatures big and small, and on any given spring day, you could cross paths with ladybugs, a dragonfly, a monarch butterfly, a firefly, or even a praying mantis. You may also encounter bumblebees, perhaps causing you to ponder the spiritual meaning of bees.

Writing off animal sightings as happenstance may be tempting, but some spiritual intuitives and psychics beg to differ. “There’s a magical connection between species, and we can have a familial relationship with our insect and animal relatives,” says Marcella Kroll, artist, psychic medium, and creator of the upcoming Nature Nurture Oracle card deck. When we acknowledge that these encounters may hold deeper meanings, we unlock a connection to the natural world, which draws us closer to the living things we share the planet with, paving the way for us to receive more messages in the future. “If you start acknowledging the spiritual world,” says Kroll, “it’s going to start acknowledging you back.”

While your first instinct may be to avoid bees (getting stung is never fun), spotting one is steeped in significance. Ahead, learn about the spiritual meanings of bees and the potential symbolic meaning of crossing paths with one.

What does the bee symbolize spiritually?

No animal holds the exact same symbolism in every culture. The spiritual meaning of an animal—like a raven, or a bluebird—varies from region to region, for example. Just as each culture has its own unique set of norms and values, the spiritual meaning of bees is up for interpretation depending on where you live and who you ask.

While cultural interpretations of bees are diverse, many of them revolve around themes of fertility, resurrection, and abundance. “Many, many animals represent change, transformation, and metamorphosis, and the bee is one of them,” says celebrity psychic and mystical expert Inbaal Honigman. As the chief pollinators of Mother Earth, bees play a vital role in supporting our planet’s biodiversity. Every spring, we depend on them to breathe life back into the plants that withered up during the winter.

In ancient Greece, the bee was a sacred symbol of the goddess Potnia, who governed nature and was associated with fertility. In ancient Egypt, bees were associated with Neith, the goddess of creation and wisdom. The bee was also linked with royal status in Egypt and was often used as an emblem for high-ranking officials.

Bhrami, also known as Brahmani, is the Hindu goddess of bees. Bhrami represents the dynamic interplay between the divine and the natural world and the interconnectedness of all living things. Some indigenous nations of North America herald bees as messengers that cross between natural and spiritual realms, connecting the human world and the divine. (FYI: While you may have heard the term “spirit animal” used before, it’s a harmful stereotype that didn’t even originate from indigenous nations.)

Modern associations with bees revolve around their ecological importance and their resilience as a species, as well as overarching themes of environmental awareness and conservation. And crossing paths with bees is becoming increasingly rare compared to in the past More so than in the past because global warming, pollution, and pesticides have dwindled bee populations greatly, causing concern for crop production and, by proxy, the future of humanity.

What does it mean when a bee visits you?

Before applying meaning to a bee encounter, consider your relationships with them—this will help you decode the significance of crossing paths with one. “You’re the ultimate interpreter of the symbol or sign that’s coming to you,” says Kroll. So, if you’re allergic to bees or have bad memories or being stung in the past, your interpretation of their buzzing into your life will likely carry different connotations and feelings than someone without this history.

That being said, the nature of bees—how they interact with each other, how they work, and their role in our ecosystem—can shed light on the spiritual significance of a bee sighting. Ahead are five possible interpretations of what it means when a bee visits you.

5 potential meanings of crossing paths with a bee

1. Community and teamwork

The social structure of bees and their harmonious, cooperative behavior can be tied to themes surrounding community and teamwork, says Kroll. Bees work together to pollinate, build hives, and produce honey, depending on each other to fulfill their duties to thrive. “Bees really help us remember that we can’t survive without each other,” says Kroll.

In that vein, seeing a bee could be a reminder of the importance of togetherness.

2. Prosperity and abundance

Bees pollinate roughly 80 percent of the world’s flowering plants. They also produce tons and tons of honey—one hive can yield up to 60 pounds of it in just one year.

For this reason, spotting a bee could symbolize prosperity and abundance, then, because of its ability to directly and indirectly produce life. “Honey also takes us in the direction of “milk and honey,” a saying that represents luxury,” says Honigman. “Honey is where that abundance comes in.”

3. Productivity and diligence

There’s a reason why the colloquial phrase “busy bee” exists. Bees spend their entire (albeit short—they only live for roughly six weeks) lives working. Therefore, bees can symbolize productivity and diligence.

Seeing a bee, says Honigman, could indicate potential opportunities in your professional life, whether it be a potential new business endeavor or an area wherein you could improve at work. It could also be a reminder to trust in your hard work, and you’ll eventually get to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

4. The divine feminine

Consider the prowess of the queen bee. The queen bee is the only female bee of the hive with fully developed ovaries, and therefore, is the only one in the bunch that can reproduce. The entire hive crowds around her, feeding her, grooming her, and meeting her every need.

The importance of the queen symbolizes the vital nature of women. Spotting a bee, then, could be an empowering message about your femininity or attitudes toward it, says Honigman. Alternatively, it could be a sign that perhaps you’re not giving the divine feminine enough respect.

5. Overcoming the odds

Bees are an anatomical anomaly: Their bodies are massive in relation to their tiny wings, and yet they’re able to fly around with ease.

This, coupled with how hardworking they are and their ability to survive despite the ecological pressures of climate change, makes them the ultimate symbol of perseverance, says Honigman.“They are very symbolic of overcoming obstacles that seem bigger than life because of their physical, aerodynamic structure,” adds Kroll.

Crossing paths with a bee, then, could be interpreted as an encouraging message to fight for what you want out of life, even if the odds are stacked against you. Keep pushing!