Could you please tell me the difference between the following sentence? Before animals can we use the to refer to a whole species. Is it also applicable to fruits?

What is the difference between these?

A- The mango is a juicy fruit.B
B- A mango is a juicy fruit.

C- Mangoes are juicy fruits.


D- Like the ant, the bee lives in a group and its nest is called hive.

E- Like an ant, a bee lives in a group and its nest is called hive.

F- Like ants, bees live in a group and its nest is called hive.


My grammar book says we use the to refer a whole species. And there is an example saying 'The giraffe is the longest animal.'


I asked almost the same question yesterday on a site. And the teacher said that 'the ant, the bee' should be 'ants, bees'. But why so!! Because bees and ants have so many varieties and I want to refer them all. Could you please explain this for me.