Unit 3 Flashcards
queen
lay eggs
produce pheromones
drones
develop through parthenogenesis
mate with virgin queens
workers
undeveloped reproductive organs
perform tasks
division of labour
variation in frequency at which individual bees engage in specific activities
primary division of labour
perform different behaviours (queens, workers, drones)
secondary division of labour
workers
age polyethism
start with low-risk end with high-risk
newly emerged bee
search cells for food
beg for pre-digested food
receive food by trophallaxis
bursicon
involved in hardening of cuticle
nurse bees
(5-12 days)
when hypopharyngeal gland develops
feed larva
food processing
nectar ripening and pollen storing
evaporation
reduces water content of nectar
digestion
breaks down sugars
active evaporation
bee regurgitates honey stomach content and blows bubbles - sucks nectar back and repeats
invertase
breaks down sucrose into fructose (levulose) and glucose (dextrose)
passive evaporation
air current remove more water
comb building
12-15 days
wax glands are developed
consume large amounts of honey
guarding
14-18 days
intercepts incoming bees to smell them with antennae
alert and recruit
foraging
3 weeks
collect water, pollen, nectar and propolis
why does the colony need division of labour
changes according to colony needs
what causes behaviour
stimuli
genetic predisposition
physiological development
hormone regulation
worker cells
0.5cm
used to rear workers and store nectar and pollen
drone cells
larder than worker cells
used to rear drones and food stores
queen cells
peanut shaped
hang from comb edges
used to rear queens
brood rearing
centre of combs in the middle of the nest 35C
winter
cluster together to maintain heat when temp <13C
heat produced by fast contractions of thoracic muscles (shiver)
hive temp 20-30C
late winter
queen resumes laying eggs increase nest temp 34-35C rapid consumption of honey and pollen older bees die lowest population size
spring
population grows rapidly
swarming
mating flights
summer
peak when max. nectar flow prep for winter robbing pop. starts to decline by august queen reduces egg laying rate
fall
pop. declines
drones expelled
start building up fat reserves
colony consumption
20-30 kg pollen
60-80 kg honey
karl von frish
bee dances
nobel prize 1973
round dance
narrow circles on the comb
touch with antennae
fly circles around hive until they find the source
<80m, smell, taste, quality
wagtail dance
narrow semicircle then straight line wiggles abdomen low frequency with wings touch with antennae >80m faster dance = closer source source, quality, quantity, direction
