Barry B. Benson is an idealistic bee who has the ability to talk to humans. Freshly graduated, Barry is disillusioned with the prospect of having only one career plan: making honey. As he ventures outside the hive for the first time, he breaks one of the fundamental rules of the world of bees: he speaks to a human: a New York florist, Vanessa. He is shocked to find that humans have been stealing and eating the honey produced by bees, and have been for centuries! He then makes it his mission to bring the human race to justice for stealing honey and to enforce the rights of bees.