Page 77 - A Field Guide to Fairfax County's Plants and Wildlife
P. 77
eybee
(Apis mellifera)
Description
Honeybees live in a nest called
a hive ruled over by a queen
bee. She is the largest female
in the hive and the only one to
mate. The male does not work.
His only purpose is to mate;
then he dies. The queen lays
eggs in layers of wax called
honeycomb. Eggs may become
workers, males or new queens
depending on the time of year and age of the hive. The babies hatch and the
larvae pupate in the honeycomb to emerge as adults. Female workers take
care of larvae, clean up the nest, make wax, build honeycombs, collect pollen
and nectar and make honey. When new queens hatch, the old queen bee
leaves the hive to start a new one.
Distribution and Habitat Honeybees are very important
pollinators. They’re unable to see
Honeybees prefer habitats that the color red, so they never feed
have an abundant supply of on red flowers. Honeybees use a
suitable flowering plants, such as pollen basket on their hind legs to
meadows, open wooded areas and gather and store pollen and carry it
gardens. They usually nest in tree back to their hives.
cavities. They are found in all five
physiographic provinces.
Role in Food Web
Adults eat nectar and pollen from dandelions, clovers, milkweeds, fruit trees
and other types of brightly colored flowers. The larvae eat honey. Queen bees
eat royal jelly, a paste made by worker bees. Predators include varroa mites,
crab spiders, orb-weaver spiders, wasps, toads, birds, Virginia Opossums,
bears, skunks, mice, rats, Wax Moth larvae and ants.
r 73 r
(Apis mellifera)
Description
Honeybees live in a nest called
a hive ruled over by a queen
bee. She is the largest female
in the hive and the only one to
mate. The male does not work.
His only purpose is to mate;
then he dies. The queen lays
eggs in layers of wax called
honeycomb. Eggs may become
workers, males or new queens
depending on the time of year and age of the hive. The babies hatch and the
larvae pupate in the honeycomb to emerge as adults. Female workers take
care of larvae, clean up the nest, make wax, build honeycombs, collect pollen
and nectar and make honey. When new queens hatch, the old queen bee
leaves the hive to start a new one.
Distribution and Habitat Honeybees are very important
pollinators. They’re unable to see
Honeybees prefer habitats that the color red, so they never feed
have an abundant supply of on red flowers. Honeybees use a
suitable flowering plants, such as pollen basket on their hind legs to
meadows, open wooded areas and gather and store pollen and carry it
gardens. They usually nest in tree back to their hives.
cavities. They are found in all five
physiographic provinces.
Role in Food Web
Adults eat nectar and pollen from dandelions, clovers, milkweeds, fruit trees
and other types of brightly colored flowers. The larvae eat honey. Queen bees
eat royal jelly, a paste made by worker bees. Predators include varroa mites,
crab spiders, orb-weaver spiders, wasps, toads, birds, Virginia Opossums,
bears, skunks, mice, rats, Wax Moth larvae and ants.
r 73 r
