A quick overview about bees and their hive

1. 1. Bees & their Hive

2. Apis Mellifera
 20,000 species of
bees
 Most populous is
Apis Mellifera
 Apis = bee
 Melli = honey
 Ferre = to bear

3. What bees do for us
 POLLINATE
 Apis Mellifera
pollinate lots of our
crops:
 Fruit
 Nut
 Vegetable
 Flower
 $2billion+ Australia
 $US30-90 billion
pa worldwide

4. Bee lifecycle
egg larva pupa bee

5. Bee lifecycle

6. 3 types of bees in a hive

7. The Birds & the bees
 After 1-2 years
colony swarms
 Hive left behind
with nurse bees,
brood, newly
hatching bees &
honey stores
 Virgin queen mates

8. What goes on in the hive
 Eggs-larvae-bees
 Temperature control
 Social bees
 20,000-1,000,000
bees
 Hexagonal cells

9. How bees make honey
 Collect nectar
 Regurgitate
 Dehydrate
 80%
18%water
 Enhanced
nutrition for
their
consumption

10. How bees talk
 Pheromones
 Waggle dance
 Vibration
 Pick up
sounds from
hairs on head
 Mute

11. The buzz on honey
 Easy to digest
 Soothing
 Moistening agent
 All colours & flavours
 Hydroscopic
 Honey is an ‘’anti’’
 Antiviral
 Antibacterial
 Antifungal
 Antimicrobial
 An antioxidant

12. Getting stung – an occupational hazard
 Light coloured
clothes
 Protective clothes
 Stings immunise?
 Honey soothes
 Self defence
 Move slowly
 Keep calm
 Stay away from
hive entrance
 No perfume/strong
deodorant