Honey Bee Facts
Honey bees have several subspecies with different habits and behavior, but all have the same identifying characteristics, including a head, thorax and abdomen. All honey bees, regardless of species, have eyes, tongues and feelers. The mid-section of a honey bee contains two wings and six legs, while the abdomen itself has wax and scent glands, breathing sacs, poison glands and stingers. Honey bees have black and yellow hair.
Honey bee facts: Distribution
Because honey bees are found worldwide, their nature and behavior can vary. For instance, while Italian honey bees are usually gentle and harmless, German and African honey bees can display extremely aggressive behavior. However, all honey bees can become aggressive when provoked and can chase humans or animals hundreds of feet.
Honey bee facts: The Colony and responsibilities of each bee
Three types of adult honey bees reside in one colony: the queen, male drones and infertile female workers. The queen honey bees mate with drones, establish new colonies and lay eggs. Each colony contains only one queen, who is capable of producing 2,000 eggs a day. Drones, or male bees, are the minority in a colony and serve only one purpose: to mate with virgin honey bee queens. Soon after mating, drones die.
Although infertile worker females usually do not produce their own eggs nor establish new colonies, they perform several important tasks. Young honey bee workers tend to larvae by secreting liquid from their abdominal glands. As workers mature, they become responsible for carrying and storing food gathered by foragers. As strong adults, they forage for food until they die.
Honey bee facts: Behavior
Workers create impressive hives comprised of individual cells where the queen lays her eggs. Unlike other bee species, honey bees do not hibernate during cold periods. Instead, they remain inside the nests huddled closely together, sharing body heat and feeding on stored food supplies.
Honey bees are social creatures and live in colonies. However, they do display some aggressive behavior: drones are ejected from their nests during cold weather and a queen will sometimes sting other queens during mating flights.
Although honey bees serve a significant role in pollination and ecology, some species are known to swarm and attack humans and animals. Measures should be taken to ensure that hives do not exist in close proximity to your home. Always contact a pest control professional before attempting to address an infestation.
