 The red clover is often seen in the countryside of Vermont hosting the state insect – the western honey bee ("Apis mellifera"), designated by Act 124 of the 1978 biennial session of the Vermont General Assembly.A natural companion and frequent visitor to the state flower, the honey bee was chosen for its agricultural benefits, and for being a "social" insect and representing the unity side of Vermont's state motto Freedom and Unity.Vermont named two official state fish by Joint Resolution of the Vermont General Assembly in 1978 and statute in 2011