OVERVIEW - Honeybees Flashcards
What is the most common species of bee used in beekeeping?
Apis mellifera
What are the three honeybee castes?
Worker bee
Queen bee
Drones
Which substance is used to construct a honeybee nest?
Wax
How is wax produced by worker bees?
Wax is produced by the metabolism of honey with fat cells and secreted by wax glands on the ventral abdomen
What are the four substances stored in cells within bee hives?
Brood (eggs, larvae, pupae)
Nectar/honey
Pollen
Water
What are the three regions of the honeybee anatomy?
Head
Thorax
Abdomen
Honeybees have no internal skeleton. What do they have instead?
Honeybees have a series of hardened plates made up of chitin surrounded by a layer of wax
Why are honeybee’s hardened plates surrounded by a layer of wax?
Honeybee’s hardened plates are surrounded by a layer of wax to prevent dehydration
How many neurones are contained within the brain of a honeybee?
960 000 neurones are contained within the brain of a honeybee
How many ganglia do each neurone extend into to provide local control?
Each neurone extends into seven ganglia to provide local control
What are the two types of eye found in a honeybee?
Ocelli
Compound eyes
What is the main function of the ocelli?
The ocelli detect changes in light intensity
What is the function of the compound eyes?
Compound eyes are involved in more complex visual functions
What are the two main functions of honeybee antenna?
Olfactory sensitivity
Topochemical olfactory sensitivity
What is the name of the Honeybee glossa (tongue)?
Proboscis
How many segments are contained within the honeybee thorax?
Three segments within the honeybee thorax
How are the hindlegs of the worker bees specialised for pollen collections?
Outer surface of the tibia is equipped with a corbicula (pollen basket) and the surface area of the legs are increased by hairs and central bristles
How many segments are contained within the honeybee abdomen?
There are seven visible segments within the abdomen and two smaller segments for the worker bee stings and the reproductive organs in the drones and the Queen
What are the functions of the veins in bee wings?
The veins provide the wings with strength, heamolymph, air tubules and nerves
What are hamuli?
Hamuli are small hooks that allow the front and hind wings to act as one large surface and help the bee create greater lift when flying
What type of circulatory system do honeybees have?
Open circulatory system
What substance suspends the internal organs of the honeybee?
Haemolymph
Describe the flow of haemolymph throughout the body of the honeybee
Haemolymph flows through the heart, abdomen, thorax, aorta, head and spills into the rest of the body