Research on animal cognition has primarily focused on vertebrates with relatively large brains, such as primates and birds. This paper reviews the individual and collective cognition of social bees and wasps. Studies suggest that bees and wasps possess flexible cognitive abilities, including associative learning, self-recognition, tool use, and spatial navigation. Bees and wasps exhibit dopamine-based emotional states, which are influenced by food desires and individual experiences. Moreover, they demonstrate complex social cognitive behaviors, such as individual recognition, which is crucial for social interactions within colony. In addition, some bee species have been demonstrated to possess the ability to solve some non-natural tasks through training. These behaviors can spread through social learning, and be retained within the population. Finally, the neural basis of cognitive behaviors in bees was reviewed, and the evidence points to the complex neuronal connections as the foundation for their cognitive abilities. This paper reviews recent advancements in the cognitive behaviors of bees and wasps, providing a new perspective on the evolution of animal cognition and behavior.