An Introduction to the Honey Bee#
1 . How common are insects?
Insects are the most numerous form of animal life on earth.
2 . What ecosystem services do insects provide? (The Good!)
Pollination
Biological control (predators & parasitoids)
Macro-decomposition (nutrient cycling, soil formation, water purification)
Dung removal
Food source
Bio-indicators
3 . What are some negatives associated with insects? (The Bad!)
Herbivory – the interaction between animals and plants in which the animals consume plant material.
Livestock parasites and pests
Human parasites and illnesses
Disrupt ecologies
Venomous insects
4 . What is the difference between a colony and a hive?
A colony refers to the living organism – the bees. A hive refers to the “man-made house” or the wooden ware that houses the colony.
5 . True or false?
Most states and Canada have laws requiring the registration and location of bee colonies.
True. Most states and Canada and many other countries around the world have laws and regulations requiring that all active honey bee colonies and their locations be registered with the office of the state entomologist or with the state’s agriculture department
6 . True or false. Before moving colonies to another location or town, you may need clearance from the authorized bee inspector?
True. Before moving your hives to another location or city within your state or to another state, you may have to clear the move with your inspector, or someone authorized to issue a permit. FYI: Jonathan Nixon- Georgia Bee inspector- Tifton, GA (229) 402-1757 (lives in Warner-Robbins) Call him to schedule a hive inspection.
7 . Are honey bees (Apis mellifera) native to the United States?
No, honey bees were introduced into the Colony of Virginia in 1622. They were called the “white man’s fly”.
8 . What did Langstroth discover in 1881 and what is the size?
Bee space - 3/8 inch
9 . Why is a honey bee colony known as a “superorganism”?
The term superorganism is used most often to describe a social unit of eusocial animals in which division of labor is highly specialized and individuals cannot survive by themselves for extended periods. The bee colony functions more like a single specialized organism with thousands of individual cells performing individual tasks.
10 . In terms of insect classification, what “phylum” do honey bees belong?
Arthropoda meaning segmented body - jointed foot
11 . What “order” do honey bees belong?
Hymenoptera -“membranous wings”. Greek for “marriage”, wings are hooked together by “hamuli”.
12 . What other insects belong to the order Hymenoptera?
Bees, sawflies, ants, wasps
13 . What is the suborder of the honey bee?
Apocrita - “slender waisted” hymenopterans. Slender waist is called a petiole (wasp waist).
14 . Honey bees are what superfamily?
Apoidea - “apis”.
15 . The superfamily Apoidea contains which 6 families?
Colletidae, Halictidae, Megachilidae, Andrenidae, Melittidae, Apidae
16 . Name the family for each of these bees: Honey bees, Sweat bees, and Leaf cutter bees.
Apidae, Halictidae, Megachilidae respectively
17 . What is the Genus and Species of honey bees?
Apis mellifera
18 . How is Apis different from others in the order Hymenoptera?
They have a vegetarian diet and specialize in collecting pollen and nectar.
19 . The genus Apis has four recognized species. Name them.
Apis florea, Apis dorsata, Apis cerana, Apis mellifera
20 . What does the diet of honey bees consist of?
Pollen for protein and nectar (honey) for carbohydrates (or sugar in any form).
21 . What is the difference between a solitary bee and a eusocial bee (the honey bee)?
Solitary bees consist of the majority of bees. Individuals overwinter isolated. Highly seasonal and specialize in a particular plant or plants.
Honey bees are eusocial: Overlapping generations share the same nest Cooperative brood care (several generations working together) Reproductive division of labor - female queen lays eggs and other female workers generally give up reproductive functions.
22 . What are some of the subspecies of Apis mellifera?
carnica- Carniolan caucasica- Caucasian mellifera- German Black bee ligustica- Italian scutellata- African Honey Bee
23 . What is a honey bee caste?
Within the same sex of a species, a different form, morphologically or reproductively.
24 . What are the different castes in honey bees?
Queens and workers: both female but very different reproductive functions and responsibilities.
25 . What are some of the duties of the worker bee?
(in sequence) Cap brood, clean cells, feed brood, receive nectar, orient to hive, guard duty, forage.
26 . How long do “summer” honey bees live in comparison to “winter” bees?
Summer bees- 3-6 weeks Winter bees - 6 months.