bees

Question 1

honey bee scientific name

Answer 1

Apis mellifera

Question 2

bee basics

Answer 2

colonial
group integration
division of labor
generational overlap

Question 3

bee lifespans by type

Answer 3

worker: 4weeks-4 months
queen: 1-3 yrs
drone: 4-6 weeks

Question 4

numbers of bees in a normal colony

Answer 4

1 queen
200-80,000 workers
0-5000 drones

Question 5

division of labor for workers

Answer 5

clean the cells
feed larvae
build hive (capping)
guarding/protecting the hive

Question 6

how many bees does it take to make a teaspoon of honey

Answer 6

12

Question 7

pollen usefulness

Answer 7

“bee bread”
carried on small hairs
stored as a protein and fat source
feeds bees and larvae

Question 8

queen bee facts

Answer 8

one mating flight
mates with 10-17 drones
DCA - drone congregation area
endophallus of drone remains in queen
drone dies

Question 9

what do varroa mites do

Answer 9

• feed on haemolymph of larvae
• lay more eggs in drone cells than worker cells
• weaken bees and transmit deformed wing virus

Question 10

two bee viruses

Answer 10

chronic bee paralysis virus
deformed wing virus

Question 11

treating varroa mites

Answer 11

buying resistant stock
brood breaks
small cell comb
mite trapping, screened bottom board, powdered sugar
formic, oxalic acid, essential oils (thymol)
fluvinate, amitraz, coumaphos

Question 12

bee population

Answer 12

human population is growing, outpacing bees (still growing)