{"id":7414,"date":"2022-03-19T18:00:08","date_gmt":"2022-03-19T22:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beekeepingfornewbies.com\/?p=7414"},"modified":"2022-09-11T17:20:32","modified_gmt":"2022-09-11T21:20:32","slug":"what-are-honey-bees-a-beginners-guide-to-the-honey-bee","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beekeepingfornewbies.com\/what-are-honey-bees-a-beginners-guide-to-the-honey-bee\/","title":{"rendered":"What Are Honey Bees? A Beginner’s Guide To The Honey Bee"},"content":{"rendered":"

Updated on September 11th, 2022<\/p>\n

Bees are flying insects that feed on pollen and nectar from flowers. There are about 20,000 different bee species worldwide. Only eight of these species are classified as honey bees, none of which are native to North America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Honey bees are flying insects that live in complex social organizations called colonies. They build wax comb in nests to raise young and store food. Adult bees are either male or female. Females consist of two castes: queen bees and workers. Honey bees divide labor and work collectively for the benefit of the colony.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While some other bees and animals also make honey, humans have domesticated some bees that produce surplus honey for harvesting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most common honey bee is the western, or European, honey bee (Apis mellifera<\/em>) maintained by beekeepers in Europe and the Americas. The other major domesticated honey bee is the eastern, or Asian, honey bee (Apis cerana).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article is a guide to the western honey bees for beginning beekeepers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About Bees<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to the U.S. Department of the Interior<\/a>, \u201cThere are over 20,000 known bee species in the world, and 4,000 of them are native to the United States. They range from the tiny (2 mm) and solitary Perdita minima, known as the world\u2019s smallest bee, to kumquat-sized species of carpenter bees.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Europe is home to \u201cabout 10% of worldwide bee diversity, although the continent only represents 7% of global terrestrial habitats.\u201d[1]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

No existing honey bee species is native to North America. They were originally imported from Europe in the 17th century. Honey bees now help pollinate many U.S. crops like fruits and nuts. In a single year, one honey bee colony can gather about 40 pounds of pollen and 265 pounds of nectar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note: 2009, a \u201croughly 14-million-year-old fossil unearthed in Nevada preserves what\u2019s clearly a member of the honeybee, or Apis, genus\u2026” This no-longer-existing honey bee is classified Apis nearctica<\/em>.[2]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Are Honey Bees?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Honey bees are flying insects exhibiting “eusocial” organization. Other eusocial insects include wasps and ants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eusociality is characterized by cooperative behavior among individuals of the same species through reproductive division of labor, the overlap of generations, and colonial nesting.1 [3]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Species of bees exhibit different types of social organization. For example, in contrast to honey bees, mason bees are solitary.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As eusocial insects, individual honey bees perform specific tasks. However, in undertaking these tasks, the colony acts as a single organism. Thus, a honey bee colony is often referred to as a superorganism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Honey bees go through three stages of development \u2013 egg, larva, and pupa \u2013 before finally emerging as either a male or female adult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more!<\/em><\/strong> Read our article about <\/em>the honey bee life cycle<\/em><\/strong><\/a> <\/em>for more information about a honey bee\u2019s stages of development.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

What Does A Honey Bee Look Like? | Honey Bee Anatomy<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As insects, honey bees have three distinct body areas (head, thorax, and abdomen) and six legs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Honey bees have an exoskeleton, a hard outer body. The exoskeleton provides support (and protection) for the bee\u2019s internal body parts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Branched hairs and regular body hair cover the exoskeleton. Branched hairs are excellent for trapping pollen, shown in the image below. Hairs also provide sensory feedback, help regulate temperature, keep the exoskeleton clean.3<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Close-up<\/a><\/center>\n\n\n\n

Close-up of feathery hairs on a honey bee, which are well adapted to collect pollen. (Photo courtesy Zachary Huang, Michigan State University).  Available from: https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/figure\/Close-up-of-feathery-hairs-on-a-honey-bee-which-are-well-adapted-to-collect-pollen_fig4_280884049<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Honey Bee\u2019s Head<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The head includes a bee’s primary sensory organs, such as the eyes, antennae, and mouthparts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Honey bees have five eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three small eyes called ocelli are simple eyes. Their exact use is unknown, but they act as light receptors and help bees \u201cmaintain stability and navigate.\u201d[5]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two compound eyes have nearly 7,000 facets each. These facets provide an overlapping, mosaic-like view of the world that changes as the bee moves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Bees see color much like humans but on a different spectrum range that includes ultraviolet.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Bee
Comparison of bee and human color perception<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

On the front of the bee\u2019s head are two antennae.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each antenna has multiple segments covered with sensory components. The antennae are the bee’s primary organs for touch and smell. The sense of smell is vital as bees use chemical pheromones for communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bottom of a honey bee’s head has a complex structure arrangement comprising the mouthparts. Mouthparts suck up liquids, manipulate wax, taste, smell, and touch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Honey Bee\u2019s Thorax<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A honey bee\u2019s middle section is the thorax used to move around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The thorax has three sections, each with a pair of legs. Hairy legs are used for grooming, transferring wax, and carrying pollen. The rear legs of the worker bees function as pollen baskets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two sections of the thorax each have a pair of wings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Honey Bee\u2019s Abdomen<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The third segment of a honey bee\u2019s body is the abdomen. The abdomen has openings that connect to the bee\u2019s respiratory system. Moving the abdomen assists various internal functions like digestion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The queen bee abdomen is longer and narrower than those of drones and workers, making it a distinguishing feature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the abdomen, queens and workers have stingers. Drones have no stinger. Since drones are a small component of a honey bee colony, honey bees are classified as stinging bees<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more!<\/strong> For more information about how and why bees sting and what to do when you are stung, read our article Do Honey Bees Sting?<\/strong><\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Three Types Of Adult Honey Bees<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are three types of adults in a honey bee colony: a queen, workers, and drones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Males are called drones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two \u201ccastes\u201d of female honey bees: a queen bee and worker bees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note: Drones are often referred to as a caste and, therefore, honey bees as having three castes.<\/p>

However, \u201c[t]he term caste in social insects is applied to individuals of the same sex that differ in morphology (form and function), physiology, and behavior. Drones\u2026are not members of a caste since all drones exhibit the same morphology and behavior.\u201d<\/em> <\/em>[4]<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Queens and workers are female and develop from fertilized eggs. Drones are male and develop from unfertilized eggs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Queen Bees<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Honey bees divide reproductive labor between the female honey bee castes. Most colonies have only one queen responsible for laying eggs. A fertile queen can lay thousands of eggs per day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to egg-laying, queens have unique pheromones (queen substance) to influence the colony’s behavior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If a colony thinks a new queen may be necessary, it selects some female larva for a special diet. Thus, some females develop as queens instead of worker bees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Queens will fight to the death for dominance in the hive. As a result, most colonies have only a single queen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more!<\/strong> For detailed information about queens and how they develop, read our article What Is A Queen Bee\u2019s Role In The Hive? A Beginner\u2019s Guide To Queen Bees<\/strong><\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Worker Bees<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Worker bees are the other caste of females in a colony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Workers are the smallest bees in the hive. Except for reproduction, workers perform all the tasks required to maintain the hive and provide for the colony’s survival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tasks performed by female worker bees include nursing the brood, tending to the queen, building wax comb, guarding the hive, foraging for nectar and pollen, and making honey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Bees
Bees drawing comb on foundationless frame<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A worker bee’s responsibilities vary based on the colony’s needs and the bee’s age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more!<\/strong> See our article What Is A Worker Bee?<\/strong><\/a> for more information about all the roles played by workers.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Drone Bees<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Drones have no tasks related to the maintenance of the hive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A male drone\u2019s sole purpose is to mate with a virgin queen. Once mated, a queen can assume her place as a colony\u2019s egg layer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Few drones ever mate. Those that mate die from the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since drones have a limited role, colonies control their population based on seasonal needs and the scarcity of resources. Drones are forcibly evicted from hives before the onset of winter months when their services are not needed, and food is most precious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more about drones! <\/strong>Read What Is A Drone Bee? | About Male Honey Bees<\/strong><\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Honey Bee Races<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The western honey bee came to North America with European settlers in the 17th<\/sup> century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The different varieties of western honey bees are informally ranked as races based on specific traits.<\/strong> The race names reflect the origin of the characteristics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The most common races of European honey bee are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n