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Beta
Honey Bee
(Apis mellifera)
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Overview
Biology
Social Structure: Honey bees live in highly organized colonies, which consist of three castes: the queen, worker bees, and drones. The queen is responsible for laying eggs, while worker bees perform various tasks within the colony, and drones mate with queens.
Life Cycle: The colony cycle begins in the spring when the queen starts laying eggs. Worker bees feed and care for the developing larvae, which eventually become new worker bees, drones, or future queens. The life cycle of the colony continues throughout the year.
Pollination: Honey bees are one of the most important pollinators in agriculture. They visit a wide range of flowers, collecting nectar and pollen. In the process, they transfer pollen between flowers, facilitating fertilization and seed production.
Food
Nectar: Honey bees primarily feed on nectar from flowers. They use their long proboscis (tongue) to suck nectar from flowers and store it in their honey stomach.
Pollen: Worker bees also collect pollen, which is a source of protein for the colony. They pack pollen into pollen baskets on their hind legs and transport it back to the hive.
Honey Production: Worker bees process nectar into honey by regurgitating it and allowing it to evaporate, reducing its water content. Honey is stored in wax comb cells and serves as the colony's primary food source, especially during the winter months when foraging is limited.
Honey bees are well-known for their role in honey production and pollination. They are social insects that play a crucial role in agriculture and the ecosystem by pollinating many of the world's food crops.
Description
Size: Honey bees are relatively small insects. Worker bees, the smallest of the three castes, are about 1.2 cm (0.5 inches) in length. Drones (males) are slightly larger, and the queen is the largest in the colony.
Coloration: Worker honey bees are typically yellow and brown, with a characteristic striped appearance. Drones are larger and somewhat stockier, while the queen is usually longer and more robust. Her coloration may vary depending on the subspecies.
Habitat
Honey bees can be found in a variety of habitats, including gardens, meadows, orchards, and forests.
Nests: Honey bee colonies are often housed in man-made beehives by beekeepers, but in the wild, they may nest in hollow trees, crevices, or other sheltered locations.
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