Abdomen, Digestive, and Excretory Systems

1 . What are the overlapping plates on the top and bottom of the abdomen called?

On top- tergites Underneath- sternites

2 . Food, after passing through the pharynx enters the “honey stomach”. Describe the function of this “stomach”.

Honey stomach or crop is not a true stomach since no digestion takes place there. Main purpose is to hold nectar collected from flowers before it is converted into honey Nectar can be regurgitated back into the mouth and given to another bee in the colony When a bee eats food, it passes through a valve through the honey stomach into the digestive tract (ventriculus)

3 . What are “Malpighian tubules” and what is their function?

Take waste matter from the blood and dump the waste into the digestive tract (like our kidneys).