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

Common diseases of beagle dogs

The most common diseases in beagle dogs are mainly those that affect to the eyes, the skin and the ears .However, they are not the only ones, and it is that this canine breed, like most, is prone to suffer from hereditary or genetic pathologies.The beagle is a canine breed native to the Kingdom United, characterized by dogs of medium height, with a compact and muscular body, and short fur.From their origins, they have been used in hunting tasks.They love physical activity, so they are great runners, and they love digging holes on earth. In general, this breed is quite healthy, so it is not easy for them to become infected with viruses or develop a health problem, but there are certain ailments to which they are prone.Keep reading this Animals and Pets Online article so you can find out what the common diseases are it's in beagle dogs. Eye diseases in beagle dogs Eye diseases are the most common in Beagle dogs, so if you have one at home you should perform an eye check per...

How to care for a cat with a broken hip

My kitten, we do not know if she suffered a blow or fell hit, the report is that she ran her back a bit, she has no owner recognizes me because I give her to decommission at specific times, she does not attack but she defends herself it is not allowed to touch it has been almost impossible to grab it to place it in the transporter covering its head, now it is in my house to build a shelter it hides under a sofa and makes its needs but I do not see it eat I think it takes water this happened on 22/1 and today is 1/28/2019, they have dared me but I have no experience with animals that are not domesticated and that do not let themselves be touched, it is very intelligent, it hides recognizes the place and I do not know if I should leave it there, I put the sanitary stones and she goes and does her needs and retires down from the sofa I have her fenced, and for now when she is seen I see her well, she does not take the medication for pain and to solidify her bones, but neither does she com...

12 animals of Patagonia that you should know

Animals of Chilean and Argentine Patagonia Generally, Patagonia is usually "divided" into two large areas or regions: the coastal or coastal zone , which is cleared by the Atlantic Ocean on the Argentine side and the Ocean Pacific, in Chile, and the continental or Andean-Patagonian region that includes the most central regions, with predominantly desert climates, up to the Andes Mountains, with a great predominance of humid and glacial forests. In addition to the differences in the landscape, it is also possible to note that biodiversity is usually different in these regions.In the coastal region, we observe a clear predominance of fish, birds and aquatic mammals, while in the area continental land mammals and species adapted to freshwater bodies, mainly lakes and lagoons stand out. As in both regions, we find several locations with similar microclimates and environmental conditions in both Chilean Patagonia and the argenti na, it is possible to find many species tha...

Animals with exoskeleton - Names and examples

The body of the largest vertebrate animals is not a mystery to most of people: it is known that it has a skeleton, internal vital organs (heart, brain, etc.), a dermis of variable and organ characteristics through which the five senses are manifested, among other characteristics. However, have you wondered what the invertebrate morphology is like? Then you need to know all about the animals with exoskeleton, names and examples. Don't miss this Animals and Pets Online article! What is the exoskeleton? The exoskeleton is an external structure that covers the body of various animals, including arthropods.It is characterized by being resistant but flexible .This structure It consists of different substances depending on the subfile to which the animal belongs: chitin for insects and fungi, calcium in mollusks and corals or silica in diatoms among other components. In turn, the exoskeleton is formed by three structures : Cuticle : non-cellular layer secreted by the hyp...

How to scare stray cats? - 15 non-harmful remedies

The presence of stray cats In the home it is not always welcome, especially if they defecate, dig and break the decorative plants or the garden.In fact, it can be considered a risk situation if they are also wild cats, since they are not properly socialized and can be carriers of parasites and viral diseases, factors that can worry parents and animal owners. Therefore, although we consider ourselves animalistic, we can face a serious dilemma when we want to scare off street cats that appear in our garden or terrace.Is there a really effective repellent for cats? How to drive away cats without harming them? Is it possible to apply any method to drive away effective and lasting stray cats? Or worse: it may not even be street cats, but domestic cats that take advantage of your garden to do their needs.What should we do then? In this article of Animals and Pets Online we will explain How to drive away stray cats with basic and effective advice, we will propose some home remedie...

ALL ABOUT THE FEVER IN DOGS

The fever in dogs or fever Canine is an increase in body temperature above normal values, which are between 38 and 39ºC , due, for example, to an infection or inflammation.There are different causes that cause the fever and we can easily measure it with the use of a digital thermometer. Next, in this article of Animals and Pets Online we will explain everything you need to know about fever in dogs, causes, symptoms and treatment to be applied to lower it.That is, if you suspect that your dog may suffer from fever, we recommend you go to your trusted veterinarian to discover the cause that is causing it and the treatment indicated according to your specific case. What temperature is considered fever in dogs? Fever is an excellent defense mechanism of the body .By increasing body temperature, the immune system seeks to destroy the pathogen.Therefore, it is a immune system reaction very beneficial for the dog in the face of an illness. The normal temperature of a dog Th...

Indigestion in dogs - Symptoms and home remedies

Indigestion or empacho is characterized as a general indisposition caused by excessive consumption of food or some digestive difficulty.Not only we, human beings, can be affected by these episodes, but the empacho in dogs is more common than we tend to imagine. Although we are accustomed to thinking of empacho as something normal or as a "minor problem", episodes of indigestion in dogs should not be ignored, since they can cause digestive problems, such as the accumulation of gases in the gastrointestinal tract , which affect the animal's well-being.Besides, the habit of eating too much or swallowing the food at once without chewing it, is an alarming risk factor for gastric torsion, one of the deadliest diseases in dogs. In Animals and Pets Online always We strive to provide you with content that helps you take better care of your most faithful companion, so we have prepared a special article on dog sitting, its symptoms, causes and risk factors .At the end of ...

Cetaceans - Meaning, Types and Features

The cetaceans are the marine animals most famous for their presence in ancient tales and legends.They are animals that have always aroused great interest on the part of the human being.These animals, in general, are great strangers that, little by little, are disappearing without, apparently , let's do nothing. In this article of Animals and Pets Online we will talk about cetaceans, which are, their characteristics, where they live and other curiosities .Do you want to know more about these inhabitants of the sea depths? Keep reading! What are cetaceans? The order of the cetaceans is composed of two suborders, the myxicets, formed by the bearded whales, and that of the odontocetes, composed of cetaceans with teeth, such as sperm whales, dolphins and killer whales. The evolution of the cetaceans has resulted in a similarity between these two living suborders, being the result of evolutionary convergence.The common structural characteristics between the two groups, suc...

Can I bathe my dog if I just wormed him?

When is it a first time in adopting a dog, it is normal that many doubts arise about what is best for them and when it is advisable to do everything, so Animals and Pets Online solves all the questions that arise. Deworming your dog periodically is necessary to preserve their health and avoid possible diseases from the action of microorganisms, external and internal parasites, among others.If you do not know when you should bathe your dog after a deworming , keep reading this article. Why deworm the dog? You may think that deworming is not necessary, but the truth is that thanks to it you avoid your dog much discomfort, in addition to prevent diseases transmitted by parasites . Among the main parasites, both external and internal, are ticks, fleas, lice, losacaros and intestinal worms, among many others.Pruritus, hair loss, diarrhea, tick disease, and even death in the most serious cases, they are part of the consequences that cause these beings to stay in the body of your furr...

10 reasons to walk your dog

The dog is an animal that needs to walk 2 to 3 times a day, But do you know why that is so? In this article of Animals and Pets Online we will explain why it is so important to walk with your dog, why the garden does not replace the walk and many other things that, perhaps you do not know. Do not forget This is a very important habit that you must carry out on a daily basis.Not doing so can be very harmful for your pet, do not forget it.Keep reading and discover 10 reasons to walk with your dog . 1.They must make their needs The first reason, and the most important , to take a dog for a walk, is to allow him to do his needs until he is satisfied. Apart from puppies that are not yet able to go outside or who are learning to urinate, it is very negative to allow our dog to urinate and defecate at home.In addition to causing a bad smell, we will be creating an unhealthy environment important that can lead to serious health problems in dogs and humans. 2.It allows them to ...

Animals and Pets Online

Search This Blog