|
Ol'
Buffalo
Website
Menu |
Nay/McNee Email
Log-In
Subscribe
to Nay/McNee Message Group
Subscribe
to Daily Thought-Provoking Quotes Via Email
Archery
Automotive
Aviation
Beekeeping
Black
Powder
Camping
Computers
Do
It Yourself
Education
Family
Finance
Gardening
Genealogy
Ham
Radio
Health
Hobbies
Homebuilding
Humor
Issues and Politics
Job Search
Marriage
Mental
Health
Muzzleloading
Nutrition
Outdoor
Cooking
Personal
Finance
Preparedness
Psychology
Quotes
Rants
Reference
Desk
Religion
Reloading
Scouting
Shooting
Time
Hack
XXX
Privacy
Notice
Porn
Warning
Virus
Warning
Contact
Webmaster |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Hives usually have one queen bee who is the mother of
all bees in the hive. She is the only fertile female in the hive. |
The queen cell is substantially larger than worker or
drone cells. It resembles a peanut in size and appearance |
The queen cell is stocked with extra royal jelly, a rich
food secreted by the worker bees. This boosts her growth and causes her to fully develop sexually. |
 |
 |
 |
| When mature, the new queen emerges from her cell.
She'll hunt and attempt to kill any competitor queens and mate with one or more drones
(inflight). |
The worker bee is also a female. Although capable of
laying eggs, she does not normally do so. If she lays eggs, they will produce only drones. |
Bees can be yellow, black or gray depending on
variety. This worker bee is returning from the field with a load of pollen on each hind leg. |
 |
 |
 |
| The workers care for the young, forage for food and
water, build combs, and clean, heat/cool and defend the hive. |
The male honey bee is called a drone. He is the
product of an unfertilized egg and therefore has only one set of chromosomes. |
When a hive becomes crowded, it raises a new queen,
then half the bees leave with the old queen just before the new queen emerges from her cell. |
 |
 |
 |
| A mass of bees seeking a new home is called a swarm.
They'll often assemble on a branch while scouts look for a permanent home. |
After the workers construct a comb, the queen inspects
each cell. If satisfied, she backs into the cell to deposit an egg. |
The tiny white cylindrical objects are eggs. The queen
can choose to lay fertilized (female) or unfertilized (male) eggs. |
 |
 |
 |
| When the egg is fully developed, the grub-like larva
emerges. |
The larva continues to grow, never leaving the cell
until mature. |
The shiny material is the royal jelly fed to the
larvae. |
 |
 |
 |
| Larvae at varying stages of development. |
Larvae continuing to grow. |
Larvae nearing the end of the larval stage. |
 |
 |
 |
| Adult worker bees cap the cells to begin the pupa
stage of development. |
Larvae and pupae in adjacent cells. |
Capped cells containing bee pupae. |
 |
 |
 |
| When the bee matures, she chews away the cell cap. |
Other workers inspect this newly emerging worker. |
New worker bee crawling out of its cell. |
 |
 |
 |
| She's almost out. Other workers in nearby cells are
escaping too. |
Note that the new worker is hairier and lighter than
her sisters. |
She'll darken quickly and her hairs will gradually
wear away as she performs her duties. |
 |
 |
 |
| The role each worker plays is determined by age. The
younger bees usually serve the hive by tending and feeding the larvae. |
Before she begins her duties, she'll got out for an
orientation flight. |
Note the pollen storage in the top row of cells.
Pollen provides the protein in the developing bee's diet. |
 |
 |
 |
| More pollen storage. Pollen is normally stored near
the brood. |
This comb contains nectar. The bees will fan their
wings to lower the moisture content. When satisfied with the viscosity, the workers will cover
the honey with a cap of wax. |
This comb is much darker than the one in the previous
picture. The wax is secreted by the workers and formed into cells. When new, it's a pale yellow.
It darkens each time a cell is used to raise a new bee. |
Return to top
Selected Readings in Beekeeping
Draper BeeCam
Ol' Buffalo Beekeeping Home Page
|
| Terms for Beginning Beekeepers |
| Bee escape |
Not a jailbreak |
| Brood |
Does not mean "think deeply" |
| Cell |
Nothing to do with jail |
| Comb |
Not spelled or pronounced "cone" and does not improve hair |
| Draw comb |
Not done with pencil and paper |
| Excluder |
It is perfectly polite to do this |
| Foundation |
Not cement blocks holding up a house |
| Larva |
Term taught in high school biology but now forgotten |
| Pupa |
See larva |
| Queen cup |
Not for afternoon tea |
| Top bar |
Not topless bar |
| Rabbet |
Does not have long ears and fluffy tail |
| Splits |
Not a gymnastic term |
| Super |
Does not mean "wonderful!" |
| Thin surplus |
Not an oxymoron |
Return to top
Selected Readings in Beekeeping
Ol' Buffalo Beekeeping Home Page |
|
While we thank them for their support of this
website, the ol' Buffalo had no role in picking the GoogleAds herein. Their appearance
is not an endorsement by the Ol' Buffalo.
 
 
 
 
|
