Many people are interested in the topic of beekeeping, and the question of the length of time a bee lives is also no exception. Bees are amazing insects. They live in a family with a clear hierarchy and division of responsibilities. Science knows several types of social insects: ants, wasps, bumblebees and bees, but only these tireless workers were able to tame and use people for good. These amazing insects live side by side with humans and "cooperate" with him. Therefore, the life period of a bee is well known to man.
Many people are interested in the topic of beekeeping, and the question of the length of time a bee lives is also no exception.
What a drone looks like, differences from a working bee with photos and videos
Drones are male public bees (which are also called ordinary, honeybees). Males emerge from unfertilized eggs, which the uterus lays in large cells. The worker bees feed the larvae with pollen and milk. Then the workers put the larvae back into the cells and seal them with wax. Pupae form there, and after two weeks drones appear.
In the photo, a drone in the center of the frame
Outwardly, drone bees differ from other members of the family. The male is much larger than the working individual, has powerful wings. He has no sting. And the eyes, on the contrary, are huge, almost over the entire head. The abdomen of the male is oval (it has a copulatory apparatus) and slightly rounded at the back. And in the uterus, the body is slender, long, and the abdomen protrudes beyond the wings.
Composition of the bee family
The male bee cannot secrete wax and get food on its own, since he does not have a device for collecting pollen. The worker bees feed him. And the male's appetite is excellent. Before leaving the hive, he fills his goiter with honey to the brim. If the weather is sunny, then the male "walks" 3-4 times a day. He flies quickly, perfectly orienting himself in space. And the bee drone has an excellent sense of smell to quickly find the queen.
What affects life expectancy?
The life span of an insect depends on a number of factors.
Among them are the following:
- The season in which the individual was bred... For example, autumn bees live longer than spring bees.
- Activity during the honey collection period... The more they collect, the more they become depleted. Physically tired insects do not live long.
- Family size... If there are a lot of young animals, they need to be fed vigorously. Insects overwork, which is why they live less.
- Ecological situation in the breeding area... In favorable regions, insects live longer.
- Diseases and pests... In the hive, for various reasons, infectious diseases or pests may start. A weakened organism will not last long.
- The cleanliness of the hive... After wintering, be sure to clean the hive. Insect feces remain on the walls, and these are unsanitary conditions. A dirty hive negatively affects the health of all individuals and reduces their lifespan.
Important! In addition to harmful effects on insects, a dirty hive can become a breeding ground for infection.
What a drone does in a hive: its role and tasks
Males sit on combs and wait to be fed. Their role in the work of the bee hive is very small. They only fertilize the uterus.At the same time, they not only sit back against the background of the general bee work, but also live at the expense of the workaholic bees. This situation is comparable to what often happens in a person's life. He can do nothing all day, live at the expense of another. At the same time, one cannot wait for help in small matters from such an individual.
But experienced beekeepers know that drones fulfill an important mission in the bee colony - the male fertilizes the queen and serves as her cover when flying out into the street.
Fertilization of the uterus is the most important task of the male bee
When the female leaves the house, she is surrounded by up to several dozen drones. During the flight, partners copulate. Moreover, the male dies after this act. Birds can also attack a small swarm. They grab mainly large males, and the uterus remains intact. Sometimes it happens that the female returns to the hive with only one or two suitors.
In order for the genus of the bee swarm to continue, males are freed from all worries in the hive.
Timing and quality of life of the queen bee
The queen bee is a longevity of the bee family, is responsible for the process of hatching. Its life span can be up to 5 years. At the same time, a spare queen bee is raised in the hive in parallel, which replaces the existing one, in case of illness, death, or inability to reproduce offspring.
The life expectancy of a queen bee is influenced by:
- brood volume. The larger the offspring, the faster the queen bee wears out
- quality of life and health of honey bees, in whose care the queen bee is, because she herself does not extract honey and feeds on royal jelly produced by worker bees.
The process of creating a wax press with your own hands
The average lifespan of a queen bee is 3 years. This conclusion was made based on the observations of professional beekeepers.
Why does a male die after performing his functions
Drones in a bee colony are henchmen, which have a single function. Therefore, at the end of the summer season, when the uterus is fertilized, they are simply kicked out of the hive or even killed. Since males do not know how to feed on their own, they die of hunger.
After all, in winter the swarm will have to survive, feeding on stored honey. And unnecessary drones will become unnecessary mouths. Nature has determined that they must perish. And with the arrival of spring, the bees will again raise the required number of males. And again they will be cared for and cherished all summer.
How long does a bee live after being bitten?
In case of danger, the bee defends itself in the only way - stings the aggressor, and then dies. The structure of the sting does not allow the insect to extract it from the skin of an animal or person, which is a danger to the hive.
The notches of the sting remain in the skin, "by the roots" pulling out the insides of the bee. The bite represents the end of the life of a little "hard worker", after a couple of hours or even a couple of minutes the bee dies.
Be sure to read:
Buckfast bees: characteristics and description, how to breed and maintain, breed disadvantages
It is interesting
Drones are very similar in name to tinderpots. But tinder fungi are small, underdeveloped female bees. They come from the unfertilized eggs of those insects that feed the uterus.
When the uterus weakens or dies, the developing insects get the milk for its nutrition. Thanks to feeding, they still mature to a certain extent. However, tinder fungi are born weak, incapable of living in a large hive. Due to underdevelopment and early hatching, such bees quickly die.
The statement that the drone is a lazy bee is still too critical and imaginative. The desire not to work and idle around is a deliberate act of a person, while the role of an insect is determined by nature itself.Perhaps, in the conditions of a huge bee hive, the division of males into laborers and fertilizers of the uterus is more profitable.
In addition, do not forget about the short life of drones: after completing their main task, insects die. In addition, the number of "lazy" bees is several times less than the number of hard workers and, moreover, less than the size of the future offspring. Taking into account all these nuances, it is safe to say that the idleness of the drones harmoniously fits into the system of the hive's life.
How to improve the living conditions of insects
To get not only good honey, but also to preserve the desired type of family, they take care of creating favorable conditions for the life of insects:
- Create a high-quality hive (voluminous, for a family or several, with an internal temperature of at least 14 ° C).
- Provide insects with a favorable wintering (a lot of food, water, a warm place).
- They put houses in flower-bearing places so that the worker bees have the opportunity to collect as much pollen as possible.
- They monitor the hatching of young bees and, if necessary, replace the queen, which lives in the family, with another one ahead of schedule.
It is recommended to feed the bees with honey or sugar syrup. Feeding has 2 functions at once: it helps the queen to reproduce better, promotes the growth of young bees. They also support family health (with proven methods or drugs).
The duration is also influenced by the number of families in the hive. So that they do not conflict, the association is carried out according to the rules in a certain period.
How long does a swarm bee live?
INTERESTING FACTS - BEES
Why is a lazy person called a drone?
If someone really lives happily thanks to someone else's work, then he can be called a drone. In this case, the name of the insect will have a figurative meaning. Synonymous expressions: bummer, bummer, bum, parasite.
Also, a drone can be a person who works little or is used to doing part of the work for him. Or, for example, when a person got a small piece of work in a group. While colleagues have a lot of work to do for the benefit of a common goal. The insignificant role for which a person receives monetary reward or praise along with others is also close in importance to the role of a lazy insect.
However, it is completely incorrect to call the illiterate, stupid or mediocre drones. Distortion of the meaning of this word can also be in a situation when a person deliberately manipulates others so that his work is done for him. Cunning is a trait completely uncharacteristic of male bees.
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