How does a bee become queen?

The honeybees , belonging insects to the genus Apis , they are an eusocial species, that is, they belong to the highest level of social organization of all animals.In the hives, inhabited by swarms , they live together castes of bees: the queen, worker bees (females) and drones (males).

But, how does a bee become queen? In this article of Animals and Pets Online we will solve this and many other doubts about the queen bee, discovering, for example, how to differentiate it from the others and how the fight between the queens occurs.We explain everything to you, keep reading!

The birth of the queen bee

Before answering this question, it is essential to know the two different situations that can generate the need for a new queen : the death of the queen bee (or master bee) or the creation of a new swarm for lack of space in the current one, which will go in search of a new hive.

We denominate swarm to a group of bees, usually on the move.Sometimes, a large group of bees leaves the colony with a queen to settle in a new hive, forming swarms of up to 20 meters.

Before the event, the hive is responsible for raising a new queen , since most species of bees would not survive without her.This phenomenon usually appears when the hive becomes too small to house all its individuals, usually in late spring and throughout the summer, when swarm activity reaches its peak.Now that you know the causes of e raising a new queen, we will discover how a bee becomes queen...

Because worker bees do not live long and the survival of a hive depends directly on the queen, When the workers suspect that they will need a new one soon, they select from 3 to 5 larvae that they will place in the so-called "real cells" , some special, large-sized cells.

These larvae will be fed only with royal jelly , which implies:

Large size , with a protruding abdomen.
A longevity markedly superior to that of other members of the same hive, standing between 3 and 5 years, unlike the workers, who usually live a maximum of 5 weeks.
The ability to lay up to 2,000 eggs a day .
Absence of the suction organ.
Different shades, arriving to reach a bronze color ado.

The fight of the queen bees

Once the larvae have been selected, the workers will take care of them scrupulously until they are born.That is when the queen bee fight takes place, which is basically how a bee becomes queen .

In this quest for queen bees there can only be one left: the strongest .It is important that the queen who survives is the most powerful, because she is the one who will transmit her genetic material at more than 2,000 larvae daily for 3 or 5 years.Once the fight to the death is over, the queen bee prepares to be fertilized by the fastest males .Thanks to this method , the hive will enjoy the birth of strong and fast specimens.

How does the queen bee reproduce?

As we have told you, the males chase the female during the "bridal flight" trying to reproduce with her, however, only the fastest males will fertilize her.full of sperm, the queen bee returns to the hive to rest for a few days, before starting with the laying of eggs that will help the growth of the hive.

Where do the bees lay eggs?

The queen, in addition to being the only bee in the colony capable of breeding and laying eggs, has the control to choose if her eggs produce males or females.But, how does it? To give birth to a female bee, the queen will deposit in a cell a fertilized egg by a sperm and, to give birth to a male, you only have to deposit an unfertilized egg.

How to identify the queen bee?

But how is the queen bee? There are some morphological details that can help us know how to recognize a queen bee :

Among all the bees, the queen is usually the largest , except for some species.
Looking at the body, we can observe in the queen a larger and more robust abdomen .
The sting of the queen bee is not serrated, which allows it to sting at will without dying.On the contrary, worker bees have a serrated sting that causes them to remain in the body of their target, inevitably causing their own death.
The extremities of the queen bee, especially the later ones, are usually remarkably large.
When traveling through the hive, the other bees usually let it pass.

Royal jelly and its importance in the queen bee

A group of workers, known as "nursemaids" are primarily responsible for larvae.They secrete royal jelly through their glandular cephalic system, located in their head.it is a whitish substance , with pearly reflections, gelatinous texture, warm lay.All larvae receive royal jelly in its development stage, but the queen is the only one that receives it completely pure, without water or pollen, throughout its life.

Studies have shown that royal jelly has the ability to modify the DNA of bees that feed on it [1] and it is by this reason that the queen bee differs from the workers.For all this, it seems important to point out that royal jelly is another factor that explains how a bee becomes queen, right?

Discover also in Animals and Pets Online what would happen if there were no bees.They are essential for the ecosystem!

If you want to read more articles similar to How does a bee become queen? , do you We recommend that you enter our Curiosities section of the animal world.

References

S.Sua, S.Albertb, S.Chena and B.Zhonga; Molecular cloning and analysis of four cDNAs from the heads of Apis cerana cerana nurse honeybees coding for major royal jelly proteins , Apidologie Volume 36, Number 3, July-September 2005, 389-401 07 July 2005.Available at: https://www.apidologie.org/articles/apido/abs/2005/03/M4084/M4084.html

Bibliography

Â «The blog of Reines d'Abeilles-Vie mort des Reines d'abeillesÂ», Achat de reines d'abeilles, â € Ž 25 novembre 2017
"Des abeilles et des hommes" documentaire suisse.

Comments

My ferret doesn't want to eat I think

When we talk about pets we always link this concept to dogs and cats, which we consider our Animal friends par excellence, however, the panorama of company animals has changed enormously today, so much so that the ferret has ceased to be a hunting mammal to become an endearing pet. Obviously its organism, its behavior and its needs are very different from those of a dog or a cat, so it requires specific care and when it comes to veterinary controls it is also important to go to a specialized exotic clinic. The feeding of this animal intervenes directly in its state of health and well-being, so in this article we show you the solutions and recommendations to be used when a ferret does not want to eat feed , in order to avoid any complications cion. Ferret Feeding This animal has specific nutritional requirements, therefore, let's see first how the ferret should be fed : It must contain more animal protein than vegetable, constituting between 30 and 38% of its food The ...

How to prevent my hamster from biting me?

When thinking of a hamster as a company animal, we can only get tender Because of its tiny size and sweet appearance, it is also common to imagine a positive interaction...Until it bites us! There are many people who adopt this little rodent without being well informed or have their first contact when he is home, then, if the hamster has not been well socialized, they receive a small bite and, although it does not hurt, it is obvious that is not something nice . It is important to have a positive attitude with our new hamster, but how should we act in the face of continued bites? In this Animals and Pets Online article we will show you how to prevent my hamster from biting me , don't lose any detail! Why do hamsters bite? There are different causes that can cause a hamster to manifest aggressive behaviors towards humans, mainly three: genetics, socialization and learning.However, those specimens that suffer pain or some disease , they may also bite by trying to avoid ...

How do dolphins sleep? - Find out!

The ancestors of the cetaceans, like the dolphins, were mammals that evolved on land.55 million years ago, those animals returned to aquatic life, even as mammals, so they developed a special respiratory strategy. All terrestrial mammals have an autonomous respiration, it is That is, it is not consciously controlled, unlike aquatic mammals, specifically the cetaceans, who have a conscious breath and decide when they need air.Even when they are resting on the surface, they only breathe about three times per minute, with very rapid breaths and deep, which fill the lungs up to 80 or 90 percent of their capacity. Because of their need to swim and have to perform this type of breathing, it is not surprising that many people have wondered how they get dolphins sleep in water.In this article of Animals and Pets Online, we will discover how dolphins breathe when they sleep or what the dream of these animals is like. What is sleep? To understand how dolphins sleep before we must know w...

Poodle dog or medium poodle: features

The poodle or poodle is one of the best known dogs in worldwide, due to their elegance, intelligence and balanced character .According to the International Cinological Federation (FCI), poodle dogs are classified into four varieties according to their size: toy, dwarf, medium ( or standard) and giant.However, other cynological associations may have different criteria.For example, the American Kennel Club (AKC) only recognizes three varieties of poodle dogs according to their size: miniature standard and toy. If you are thinking of adopting a poodle or poodle dog, it is very important that you properly inform yourself about the character, temperament with other dogs, the characteristics and the care that this breed requires.In addition, we will also talk about training and education , very important details to have e No matter if we want a sociable and happy adult dog. Keep reading this breed form and find out all about the medium poodle or poodle : Poodle History This is one...

What animal are you according to your zodiac sign?

Many people trust the zodiac cult when making decisions or finding a compatible partner in love.It is a devotion that has lasted since the time of ancient Greece , so it is not surprising that many people continue to consult the virtues and defects of each particular sign. In this article of Animals and Pets Online we wanted to pay a small tribute to all the signs of the zodiac and the animals that are more related to them. What animal are you according to your zodiac sign? Find out below! Aquarius-20/01 to 02/18 Aquarius is a kindly and humanitarian sign, but in turn independent and unpredictable .Describes progressive and creative people who make their own decisions at Whatever this may cause, this air sign fits perfectly with owls , shy and outgoing at the same time. Pisces-19/02-20/03 Pisces stands out for its compassionate, humble and sentimental behavior .These are reserved and somewhat indecisive people, who get carried away by influences, such as seawater...

Homeopathy products for dogs

Homeopathy is a therapy that uses only completely natural products with different healing purposes.We can appreciate that Until relatively recently, homeopathy was only developed for people, but after verifying its effectiveness, many people consider using homeopathy in their animals. These are products that, in an effective way, help to improve certain health problems.Want to know more? In the market there are homeopathy products, more at your fingertips than you think. Read on to learn about the different homeopathy products for dogs , where to find them and how they should be administered so that they act in an effective and safe way. What are homeopathy products? There is a different typology of homeopathic products in the market, and therefore we will start highlighting some basic differences that every consumer should know: To begin we can find the remedies or simple medicines .It is the same type of homeopathy that we would take.They are medicines where only one subs...

14 Animals with feathers - List with names and curiosities

What are the animals with feathers? When you think of feathers, what animals come to your head? You probably remember species such as duck, chicken, hummingbird or ruisenor.Now, do birds only have feathers? The answer to this is yes .Only birds have feathers, this is a feature that allows a species to be included in the group of birds. However, it has been shown that, in the past, some dinosaur species also developed feathers and from them the birds we know descend.Today there is still no definitive conclusion about what caused the change from scales to feathers (thinking about crocodiles, other prehistoric creatures), the different theories plan that it could be due to a process evolutionary to allow the flight of those species of dinosaurs that moved over the treetops and branches through jumps, while others point to thermal protection or attraction mechanisms during the mating season. Despite this, if there is evidence as they point to the dinosaurs belonging to the group ...

Why does my dog lick her vulva a lot?

Does your dog lick her parts a lot? If so and you want to know if it is a normal behavior or not, in this article of Animals and Pets Online we answer all your questions and tell you what to do in each case. There are several causes that they can lead a dog to lick the vulva, some of them typical of its nature and others indicate the presence of a more or less serious disease.For these latter cases, the dog usually shows other signals that we must warn in order to confirm the diagnose and go to the specialist as soon as possible.Continue reading and discover why your dog licks her vulva a lot , as well as what to do in each situation. The bitch licks the vulva a lot to masturbate The dog usually reaches sexual maturity between six months and one year of age if she is a small or medium breed, and the anus or a year and a half if it is large or giant, with the arrival of the first zeal.From this moment we can begin to see in her behaviors that until then she had not had, such a...

My papillero parakeet doesn't want to eat

There are many and very diverse birds that are currently used as companion animals , but without a doubt, one of the most endearing is the Australian parrot or parrot, since it is a pet with which we can establish a strong bond. Sometimes we decide to welcome in our home to a papillero parakeet, that is, a hand-reared parakeet with papilla , and we must be aware that this act implies a great responsibility, since feeding a parakeet in these circumstances can be complex, but since then it is absolutely necessary. In this Animals and Pets Online article we show you several tips if a papillero parakeet does not want to eat . Image of pets.iorigen.com Papillero parakeet feeding Sometimes we do not have enough information to know clearly how to feed a papillero parakeet and if your pet refuses to eat it is important to make sure that the food you provide and the way in which that you do it is the right one. To feed it, you need to buy a specific porridge for pistachios , it ...

Types of canaries and their names

How many races of canaries are there? At present, more than 30 types of canaries are known , this being the most abundant species of domestic bird in the world with parakeets, although there are many classifications possible, the canary breeds are usually divided into three large groups: Singing canaries : here, we find the most coveted breeds in canariculture, thanks to their incredible ability to learn and play melodies complex and a great variety of sounds.In the next sections we will see the main races of singing canaries. Canaries by color : this, perhaps, is the most basic classification of canaries, based on the color of their feathers.It is divided into subgroups according to the predominant pigments in its plumage, the lipochromic canaries (shades of dominant and recessive white, yellow and red) and the melancholic canaries (colors black, agate, green, bromine, isabela, brown and tona corrugated qualities). The position or position canaries : also called a design or...

Animals and Pets Online

Search This Blog