Honey bees live in a community, this community is calling a bee colony. They are composed of the following individuals: queens, workers, and drones. And under some special conditions may appear the so-called “laying bees”. These appear, with the intention of saving the colony, to stay this orphan and not be able to build the royal bees to give a new queen.
They are normal bees but to a certain extent, they develop the reproductive system having the ability to put eggs. But since these bees have not been fertilized, all the individuals that are born will give rise to drones. So the beehive will decline as the nurse and foraging bees die, and therefore the hive is number.
Confirmation of Bee Colony
The honey bee population is in danger. In recent years, the number of honey bees has decreased by half and it’s still going down. This could be due to a couple of things: pesticides and parasites. There are many different types of pesticides that could be hurting these little creatures, but they’re not the only problem with our environment that we need to worry about. Parasites such as mites can also make life difficult for the honeybees which means we should all take some time to do something good for them! Here are a few ways you can help out these sweet little guys who just want to keep making delicious honey!
Queen Bee
The queen is the soul of the hive existing, in conditions of normality, only one in each colony. Being the one in charge of laying the eggs and maintaining, with their presence, the “spirit” of the bee colony. The queens, in countries with development agriculture, can be purchase already fertilize in selection centers and queen kennels.
In which they have been select, control and raise in the best conditions. As long as they can not be disposed of, what must be done is to produce the queens themselves, relying on the best colonies of exploitation. You may also like to read Worker Bee.
Workers Bee
The workers are responsible for doing the rest of the work both inside and outside the hive as we will see later. A colony with less than 15.000 bees can be considered weak. When the colony has 15.000 to 30.000 bees, we can consider it to be fairly vigorous. If a hive has 30.000 to 50.000 bees, they can be said to be normal colonies. And when they have 50,000 bees and up are very vigorous colonies.
The worker bees of honey are essential members of the colonies. The worker bees are the most numerous in a hive. They are the infertile females that are dedicated, among other activities, to clean and protect the hive, to build wax combs and to produce royal jelly. The average life of the workers is approximately six weeks. You may also like to read Queen Bee.
Drones Bee
The drones perform a primordial mission that is to fertilize the queens. While they seem to bring balance and stability to the colony of which they are apart. The number of drones that can be in a hive is very variable and can vary greatly, being able to say that there are 200 to 800 or more. At the beginning of the queen’s arrival at the end of winter practically the colony does not produce drones because they are still unnecessary.
But as the season progresses, it is enhanced as a result of the massive entry of nectar, the colony begins to raise drones. By the time the swarm arrives, there are more than enough drones. And thus be able to fecundate the virgin queens that leave to the flights of fecundation
When spring is passing and we are getting into the summer, the flowers are avocado and the entrance of nectar to the hive descends. Bees are responsible for eliminating large numbers of drones, lowering their population, calling this phenomenon “the killing of drones.”
Defending
The workers use a spike of thorns to defend the colony. But after attacking, the barbs remain attached to the skin of the victim, a process that opens their abdomen and results in their death.
Beehives
Beehives it is called a hive where the bees live. It is the place occupied by a colony of these insects: the colony in question can even be called a hive. About 80.000 bees, between drones, workers and the queen bee can live in the hives. When a bee queen of advanced age leaves a hive with a group of workers to develop another colony.
A swarm is a form through the process known as swarming. It is important to note that the way in which bees build their hives. It is not very similar to that used by other social insects, such as ants and bumblebees. The beginning of a new swarm and, therefore, of a colony occurs when an old queen bee leaves its hive together with many workers. Leaving the lesser queen in charge. You may also like to read the Drone Bee.
FAQ
What is a colony of bees called?
A colony of bees is known as a hive. A beehive consists of three different types of bee – the queen bee, worker bees, and drone bees. The female queen bee is the only fertile member of the hive and is responsible for laying eggs to ensure that there are enough workers to look after the colony. Worker bees make up about 95% of a colony and have many important roles such as foraging for nectar and pollen, building wax combs, cleaning their hives and caring for larvae. Drone bees are male in gender with just one task which is to mate with any new queen who may take up residence in their hive or close by neighbor colonies.
What is the meaning of bee colony?
A bee colony is an organized society of bees, comprised of a single queen, hundreds to thousands of female worker bees and male drones. With the queen at its center, the colony works together as a unified organism to maintain its hive and survive. The Queen Bee lays eggs which are then cared for by the worker bees.
How long does a bee colony live?
The lifespan of a bee colony varies greatly depending on the environment and species. Generally though, most colony lifespans are about one year in length. For honeybee colonies, established colonies can live for up to three years or more but because of hive pests and other environmental pressures most don’t last that long.
Conclusion
The honey bee is an extraordinary creature that inspires us with its many admirable qualities. Honey bees are social insects and live in colonies, which can include up to 50,000 individual members! Colonies consist of the following types of individuals: queens (mated females), workers (sterile females) and drones (male). Under special conditions called swarming, some worker bees will lay eggs while others participate in caring for the young larvae. We hope this guide has helped you better understand how honeybees work together as a community to survive. Good luck with your next project!
As a reference: Wikipedia
