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The structure of the bee is considered so unique that there is a special science in biology that studies the external and internal structure of honey bees - apiology. In Europe, the term is called apiology and includes studies concerning all types of bees.
External structure of a bee
Bees, like other types of insects, lack a skeleton. Its role can be performed by complex skin, which contains chitin.
The color of the bee and its body structure make it possible to distinguish the insect from all other species. The body has a clear distribution and consists of three sections:
- head;
- breast;
- abdomen.
Each of these sections plays a specific role in the life of an insect and includes a specific set of organs. On the sides of the head there are two compound eyes, between which there are three simple ones. Each eye perceives a certain part of the picture, and together it is all converted into a single image. Scientists call this type of vision mosaic. The eye consists of a lens and small hairs around it.
With the help of compound eyes, insects can see objects that are far away, thanks to which they orient themselves while flying around in space.Simple eyes allow the formation of an image in close proximity, which allows the insect to collect pollen.
If we look at the bee's mouthparts, we can see that in the lower part of the head there is a proboscis, which includes the lower jaw and lower lip. The length of the proboscis can vary depending on the type of individual and ranges from 5.6 to 7.3 mm. Since the internal organs are located in the abdomen, this part is the largest and heaviest.
You can see the structure of a honey bee in the photo below.
How many eyes does a bee have and how does it see the world around it?
In total, the insect has five eyes. Of these, 3 are simple, they are located on the frontal part of the bee’s head, the rest are complex, located on the sides. Simple eyes differ little from each other, but complex eyes have significant differences in size and number of facets, for example:
- the queen of the hive has compound eyes located on the sides, the number of facets reaches 4 thousand;
- The eyes of a worker bee are oval-shaped, but they are much smaller in size and number 5 thousand. facets;
- drones have more complex eyes. As a rule, they are quite large in size and connected in the frontal part; the number of cells can exceed 10 thousand pieces.
Thanks to the special structure of their eyes, insects can see three-dimensional objects, while the shape may differ from what a person sees. For example, insects perceive geometric shapes very poorly. They see color forms much more clearly. Individuals show the greatest interest in objects that move. In addition, bees can read light vibrations and use this for orientation in space.
How many wings does a bee have?
A bee has four wings in total, with two front wings completely covering a pair of hind wings. During the flight, they are connected in one plane.
Individuals move their wings using the pectoral muscles. It should be noted that up to 450 wing flaps can be carried out in one second. In a minute, an insect can fly 1 km, but an individual carrying nectar flies much slower. That is, a bee heading for honey flies faster than an individual returning with prey.
In search of nectar, insects can fly away from the apiary to a maximum of 11 km, but most often they fly at a distance of no more than two km from the hives. This is due to the fact that the further the insect flies, the less nectar it will bring home.
How many legs does a bee have?
If we look at the structure of a bee in the picture, it is worth noting that it has 3 pairs of legs, and they are all different from each other. The middle pair is the least specialized in its structure. Each foot consists of the following parts:
- basin;
- swivel;
- hip;
- shin;
- tarsus on which there are 5 segments.
In addition, the legs have claws that allow insects to cling to the surface while moving. The front legs resemble arms in appearance and are quite powerful. Insects use them to perform various types of work.The hind limbs are equipped with special devices called baskets.
Anatomy of a bee
A feature of the internal structure of a bee is the presence of organs with the help of which honey is produced. This concerns the digestive system of the insect, namely, the presence of special organs - the honey crop and the subpharyngeal gland. Insects store nectar in the crop, and with the help of enzymes the process of converting nectar into honey is carried out.
Thanks to their developed muscular and nervous systems, insects fly quite quickly, build honeycombs, and extract and process nectar. Such activity is possible only due to the continuous breathing process.
Does a bee have a heart?
It's hard to believe, but bees have a heart. In appearance, the insect's heart resembles a long tube, which is located in the upper part of the body and runs through the entire back to the head. Much thinner tubes stretch through the bee's chest, they are called aortas. Hemolymph flows from the aorta into the cavity of the insect's head. The tube is securely fixed by muscle fibers to the back of the insect and has 5 chambers communicating with each other. With the help of such chambers, hemolymph is passed through, while the substance moves only in one direction - from the abdomen to the head.
The sound produced deserves special attention, as it may differ in pitch and timbre. Each family produces an individual buzzing sound, depending on the physiological state. It is thanks to the sounds made that beekeepers determine and control the condition of individuals. Thanks to the timbre of the buzzing, experienced beekeepers can understand the following:
- insects are cold;
- food ran out;
- the family plans to swarm;
- the hive queen is present;
- the queen of the hive has died or disappeared.
In addition, you can understand how the family feels about the new queen if the old or dead queen was replaced.
How many stomachs does a bee have?
During regular studies of the structure of the insect’s body, the following surprising facts were revealed:
- the insect has 2 stomachs, one is intended for digestion, and the second for honey;
- the stomach intended for honey does not produce digestive juices.
The stomach produces an enzyme that breaks down nectar into honey and fructose. Under the action of the enzyme, the nectar is completely broken down, and insects begin to secrete pure nectar into cells intended for storing honey.
Insects obtain honey from nectar, which, in turn, consists of almost 80% water and sugar. With the help of a proboscis, bees suck it out and deposit it in the stomach, intended exclusively for honey.
To completely fill the stomach with insects, it is necessary to fly around from 100 to 1500 flowers.
How do bees breathe?
Considering the respiratory system of bees, it can be noted that throughout the insect’s body there is a network of tracheas of different lengths. There are air sacs along the body that are used as a reservoir for oxygen. These cavities are connected to each other by special transverse trunks.
In total, the bee has nine pairs of spiracles:
- three pairs are located in the chest area;
- six are in the abdominal area.
Air enters the body of the insect through the spiracles, which are located on the abdomen, and exits back through the thoracic spiracles.On the walls of the spiracles there are a large number of hairs that perform a protective function and prevent the entry of dust.
In addition, the spiracles have a device that allows them to close the lumen of the trachea. Air moves through the air sacs and trachea. At the moment when the bee's abdomen is expanded, air begins to flow from the spiracles into the trachea and air sacs. When the abdomen contracts, air escapes. After this, air flows from the air sacs into the trachea and is transported throughout the individual’s body. When all the oxygen is absorbed by the cells, carbon dioxide comes out.
Conclusion
The structure of the bee is of interest to many, and this is not surprising, because one can only admire the hardworking insects. Bees lead an active lifestyle - they fly quite quickly, collect nectar, and then convert it into honey. The study of bees continues to this day, as a result of which more and more new facts can be constantly learned about them.
