490 likes | 1.08k Views
Honey Bee Apis mellifera Anatomy & Biology. Honey Bee External Anatomy. Three Body Regions Head, Thorax, and Abdomen. Head. Compound Eyes Three Ocelli Simple Eyes Antennae Respond to Touch & Odor Mandibles Proboscis Lapping up Nectar & Other Fine Particles . Compound Eye.
E N D
Honey Bee External Anatomy • Three Body Regions • Head, Thorax, and Abdomen
Head • Compound Eyes • Three Ocelli • Simple Eyes • Antennae • Respond to Touch & Odor • Mandibles • Proboscis • Lapping up Nectar & Other Fine Particles
Also in UV http://www.naturfotograf.com/UV_flowers_list.html
Thorax • Point of Attachment for • Six Legs • Two Pairs of Wings
Abdomen • Spiracles for Breathing • Stinger/Ovipositor (Workers & Queen) • Male Bees (Drones) do not have a stinger
Nasonov Gland • “Come Hither” Pheromone • Released by Worker Bees to Signal entrance of hive or mark flowers
Worker Bees (Are all Female) • Worker Bee Life Cycle • Hatching of egg: 3 Days • Larva stage (Feeding): 5 days • Pupa stage: 13 days • From Egg to Adult: 21 days
Drones • Mate with virgin queen. Die after mating • ~ 17 Drones may mate with Queen during her mating flight. • Get “kicked out” of hive in winter.
Queen • Mature female that received abundant amounts of royal jelly while as larva • Can live 2 – 4 years • Can lay up to 2,000 eggs per day during spring build up.
Metamorphosis of Queen Bee • Egg hatches on Day 3 • Larva (several moltings)Day 3 to Day 8½ • Queen cell capped~ Day 7½ • Pupa~ Day 8 until emergence • Emergence~Day 15½ - Day 17 • Nuptial Flight(s)~Day 20 – 24 • Egg Laying~Day 23 and up
Swarming Eventually, the worker bees decide that • the queen has become too old or damaged • Or that the hive is physically too small So… They decide to make a new queen(s)