JEEDA'S LOVE AND PASSION: BUSY AS A BEE

INTRODUCTION

There are about 20,000 different species of bees in the world. Bees live in colonies and there are three types of bees in each colony.

TYPES	FACTS	FUNCTIONS
Queen Bee	Female	Only Queen can reproduce (Lay eggs). Strikingly different from the drones and workers. Mother of all drones, workers, and future queens. Capacity for laying eggs often exceeds 1500 eggs daily. Long body, with a much larger abdomen than a worker bee. Her larval food consists almost entirely of a secretion called royal jelly that is produced by worker bees. Average lifespan of the queen is one to three years. Usually mates with six or more drones in the course of a few days. Sperm remain viable in this sac throughout the life of the queen.
Worker Bee	Female	Most numerous members of the colony (may contain 80,000 worker bees or more). Build and maintain the nest (wax secreted from glands in their abdomen). Clean the hive, collect pollen and nectar to feed the colony and take care of the offspring. Leave the hive to gather nectar, pollen, water, and propolis (a gummy substance used to seal and caulk the exterior of the nest). Convert the nectar to honey, clean the comb, and feed the larvae, drones, and the queen. Ventilate the nest. Defend the colony with their stings. Do not mate and therefore cannot produce fertile eggs. First three weeks of their adult lives, the workers confine their labors to building the honeycomb, cleaning and polishing the cells, feeding the young and the queen, controlling the temperature, evaporating the water from the nectar until it thickens as honey, and many other miscellaneous tasks. At the end of this period, they function as field bees and defenders of the colony. Live extremely busy lives, which, from egg to death, last about six weeks.
Drone	Male	They are stingless, defenseless, and unable to feed themselves-they are fed by worker bees. Have no pollen baskets or wax glands and cannot secrete royal jelly. Their one function is to mate with new queens. After mating, which always takes place on the wing in the open air, a drone dies immediately. As fall approaches, they are driven out of the nests or hives by the workers and left to perish.

Only female bees sting. A queen bee uses her ovipositor to lay eggs as well as sting. Sterile females, also called worker bees, don’t lay eggs. They just use their ovipositors to sting. Certain species of bees die after stinging because their stingers, which are attached to their abdomen, have little barbs or hooks on them. When this type of bee tries to fly away after stinging something, part of the abdomen is ripped away. Bees see all colors except the color red. Their sense of smell helps find the flowers they need to collect pollen.

SPECIES OF BEES

SPECIES		FACTS
BUMBLE BEE (close relative of honey bee)		There are about 50 species of bumble bees are known in North America. Large, hairy, usually black-and-yellow. Beneficial insects because they pollinate crops and plants. Very social bees and live in large "families". Headed by a queen, who is the main egg-layer, and many workers, who are the daughters of the queen, and in that drones (males) are produced during the mating season. can sting more than once because their stingers are smooth and do not get caught in the skin when they fly away Often nest in the ground, but can be found above ground around patio areas or decks. Sometimes build their nests in attics or under roof beams. If disturbed, bumblebees will buzz in a loud volume Aggressively defend their nests. Chase nest invaders for long distances. The sting is one of the most painful stings. Swelling and irritation can last for days actually being stung. Only survive during the warm season; new queens hibernate alone to begin another colony the following spring.
CARPENTER BEES		There are about 730 species of carpenter bees. Large, metallic-colored bees that construct nests in flower stalks or wood. Solitary bees. Build nests just for themselves and only feed their own young. Ability to drill through wood. Able to sting over and over again. Bore through soft woods to lay eggs and protect their larvae as they develop. Female carpenter bees will chew a tunnel into a piece of wood to build a nest gallery. Do not pose a public health threat. Do cosmetic damage to the wood where they build their nests.
HONEYBEE		There are 6 other recognized species of honey bees. Live in large "families". The only social insect whose colony can survive many years. Their wings flap 11,000 times per minute, which is why it sounds like they are "buzzing". Can only sting once, because their stingers are barbed and tear off when they try to get away. Nests vary in size. Build their nests in tree crevices. occasionally build nests in attics or chimneys.
KILLER BEE		Africanized Honeybee, also known as the "killer bee" lives in South America and the Western and Southern United States. Have been known to chase people for over a quarter of a mile once they get excited and aggressive. Their attacks are more harmful because they tend to attack in greater numbers, increasing your chance of having a severe allergic reaction to the venom released when they sting. Can only sting once, because their stingers are barbed and tear off when they try to get away. Have small colonies. Can build nests in unique places like in tires, crates, boxes, and empty cars. If chased by Africanized honeybees, run in a zigzag pattern and seek shelter in a house or car. Do not jump in the water! They will just wait around until you come up for air.
DIGGER BEE (also called longhorned bees)		Robust, fast-flying, ground-nesting bees with velvety fur. Several thousand species, more than 900 of which occur in the United States and Canada. Mostly nest in the ground.
LEAFCUTTING BEE		There are over 3000 species worldwide and more than 600 species in the United States and Canada. Bees that use pieces of leaves or flower petals to construct their nests. Black bees with white or silvery hairs, and the top of the abdomen may have fine bands of white hairs. Males are usually smaller and in many species they have hairier faces than females. Leafcutting bees occasionally cause damage to certain ornamental plants, such as roses.
MASON BEE		140 species of mason bees are found in North America out of about 200 species worldwide. Build part or all of their nests with mud or plant fiber chewed into a paste. Nests in holes in wood and the females prefer to make nests close to each other in aggregations. Have stout bodies, and many species are metallic green or bluish in color.
ORCHID BEE (also known as gold bees)		There are more than 175 species. A group of brightly colored tropical bees. The most brilliantly colored insects. Many species are green, blue, purple, gold, or red. Some are black with yellow or white hairs and resemble bumble bees
SWEAT BEES		There are about 1000 species in the United States, Canada, and Central America. Are attracted to the salts in human perspiration. Generally black or metallic colored and some are brilliant green or brassy yellow. Sting only if handled. Most species nest in the ground, but some nest in wood.