Surah 16 of the Quran is titled An Nahl which stands for the Bee in Arabic. 16 is an important number itself in the Zoology of Bees. Recent science notes that male bees only have 16 chromosomes (males have no father and are unfertilized eggs of the mother) and female bees have 16 pairs of chromosomes (32 total). 

Verse 68 notes that bees build their hives in mountains (rock) and trees (wood). Scientists have discovered bees that build hives in wood and even in solid rock; for example Carpenter Bees. 

Recent Zoology has also shown that the Worker Bee (those that gather pollen and generate honey) are in fact all female. This a recent fact that the Quran shared approximately 1400 years ago –  verse 69 uses the female tense when attributing honey to the bee!

For the word “eat”: “Kuli” is for females; “Kul” is for males. The Quran used “Kuli” (females).

– For the word “follow a path”: “Usluki” is for females; “Usluk” is for males. The Quran used “Usluki” (females).

– For the word “its bellies”: “butuniha” is for females; “butunihim” is for males. The Quran used “butuniha” (females).

Butuniha بُطُونِهَا in Arabic means multiple stomachs of a single female. Today we know that a honey bee has an extra stomach dedicated for honey. Truly remarkable!