The Bee Expert

By postie1

All about Bees. Without doubt the most impressive creature on earth responsible for the wonder and beauty of nature. Without the BEE most of nature would cease to exist! A comprehensive insight of the "World of Bees"

• Language: English
• Publisher: postie1
• Release date: Dec 18, 2011
• ISBN: 9781465965769

Book preview

The Bee Expert

Cecil James

Copyright © 2012 by Cecil James

Smashwords Edition

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

I) INTRODUCTION

II) DIFFERENT TYPES OF BEES

III) INTRODUCTION TO HONEYBEES

• ORIGIN

• TYPES OF HONEY BEES

• LIFE CYCLE AND ACTIVITIES OF HONEY BEES

• HONEY AND HONEYBEES

• THREATS TO HONEY BEES

A) HAZARDS TO THE SURVIVAL OF HONEYBEES

B) DISEASES TO HONEYBEES

• USEFULNESS OF HONEY BEES

• BEEHIVE

• HONEY BEE FACTS

IV) FAQ

INTRODUCTION

HONEYBEE

Bees are the insects that can fly and bears a close resemblance to ants and the wasps. The monophyletic lineage of bees can be traced to the super family of Apoidea (the Apoidea forms a major group under the Hymenoptera which consists of two lineages, the bees and the Sphecoid wasps are their descendants.) which is currently categorized under the unranked taxonomical name Antophila.

Nearly 20,000 species of bees belonging to nine families are known to us. The number may be even higher. Except Antarctica they are found on every continent which records the presence of flowering dicotyledons.

CHARACTERISTICS OF BEES

Bees and plants bear a relation that can be termed as mutualism, a relation that is shared between two unlike organism such that it is beneficial to both of them.

Bees are dependent on the pollen grain, which is a source of protein, and the nectar or oil of a flower as a source of energy. These are produced by the plants. The adult females use pollen grains to feed the larvae. Now in the process of collection of the pollen grain they loose some on the way when they sit on other flowers. Thus some pollen fall on the flower of the same species resulting in cross pollination. Thus the bees help in the pollination of flowers. In fact bees are the most important agents of pollination.

Most of the bees have a hairy or feathery body that helps in collecting the pollen grains. Female bees have only defensive sting. Honeybees and stingless bees gather a huge quantity of honey in their hives and this particular characteristic of the bees are used by human beings for consumption & commercial purpose.

Worldwide a presence of nearly 20,000 species of bees has been recorded but there may be some which have not yet been discovered and many who have not been named and studied. They are found world over leaving aside the high altitude regions, the Polar Regions and some islands. Diverse species of bees are found in the warm and arid or semi-arid regions of the world especially Southwest America & Mexico. Size of bees range from as small as 2mm to as long as 4cm insects. The color of bees ranges from black or grey to flamboyant yellow, red, or metallic green, blue.

SOCIAL STRUCTURE AND NESTING HABITS

Bees exhibit diverse social behavior and nesting habits. This gives the scientists an opportunity to study their evolution and Social behavior in a natural laboratory.

BEE HABITAT

Bees like the leaf cutters, the mason bees and blue orchards build their nests on dead trees and leaves. Some, like the sand bees and miner bees searches for large areas of land with fine sand. Others like the mason and bumble bees construct their nests in the man-made structures or the bee houses. Bumble bees sometimes nest in the holes underground and sometimes even in the mouse nests.

WAGGLE DANCE

This is a very special characteristic of a honey bee.

The sun, flower and bee hive are in a single line. When a bee discovers the flower which is the source for nectar