Bees are mentioned quite frequently in Hindu literature, usually just as part of descriptions of various natural environments, or in various poetic/metaphorical references. In general, Hindus have historically liked bees and regarded them very positively. To mention that a natural area is full of bees is seen as a point of high praise. Bees and their buzzing and general behaviors are seen as charming and delightful, and the company of bees is considered pleasant and desirable. They represent the beauty, richness, and industriousness of nature, and are considered to contribute to a lively and harmonious atmosphere. They are also frequently used as symbols of love and the spring season. The humming of bees in the spring season is considered a romantic sound inciting love and romantic yearning. Indra’s paradise of Svargaloka is described as containing bees.
The Rishis of the Rigveda even compare themselves to bees, for example:
“Here are thy invokers together, waiting with offerings for thee, like bees sitting together on honey.” - Rigveda 7.32.2
Elsewhere bees are compared to Vedic mantras. It is also recommended to approach sources of knowledge (different texts, teachings, etc.) like a bee approaching flowers: drawing the sweet nectar from each one and moving on, to create rich and nourishing honey. In this way bees are cited as a Guru in nature, in the Uddhava Gita.
Kamadeva’s bowstring is made of bees. As a former beekeeper myself, I can confirm that bees really do frequently do form strands like this, holding onto each other’s feet:
There is also a form of Shakti called Brahmari, the Goddess of Bees. Her story is given in the Devi Bhagavata Purana, book 10, chapter 13. Her center of veneration is the Srisailam Shakti Pitha in Andhra Pradesh, one of the main 18 Shakti Pithas.
The Shastras mention that honeybees are spiritually high among insects, since their honey benefits so many other beings, earning them great good Karma. Here is some Madhubani Hindu folk art from Mithila, showing a honeybee drinking nectar: