I don't know about the occult symbolism, but honeybees are very much a historical symbol of France. Napoleon had gold bees embroidered on his clothing, and used them as an ornament to usurp and replace the Bourbon's more familiar fleur-de-lys. It was specifically chosen as a means to solidify his authority and legitimacy, by hearkening way back to the fifth-century pre-christian Merovingian king Childeric, whose grave had been discovered in 1653, and contained some 300 ornamental gold "bees". Funnily enough, there are many now who think Childeric's symbols were not bees, but rather cicadas, meant to symbolise death and resurrection.
