BIOL 475: Ap. iculture and Bee Biology

BIOL 475: Apiculture and Bee Biology Study Notes

Required Texts

  • Main Text: Wilson, J. S. and O. J. Messinger Carril. 2016. The Bees in Your Backyard: A Guide to North America's Bees. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ. Electronic copy freely available on Canvas.

  • Supplementary Text: Caron, D. M. and L. J. Connor. 2013. Honey Bee Biology and Beekeeping. Wicwas Press, Kalamazoo, MI.

Apiculture

  • Definition: Apiculture refers to the practice of keeping honeybees primarily for the production of honey and other bee products.

  • Key Components:

    • Number of bees

    • Time of year

    • Nectar flow periods

Population Dynamics

  • Adult Population (in thousands per month):

    • Highest in July, lower in winter months

  • Brood Population (day-old larvae):

    • Peaks in spring and early summer

Graph Data (hypothetical)

  • Adult population peaks at approximately 60,000 in mid-summer.

  • Brood population reaches a peak of 2,000 during peak nectar flow.

History of Beekeeping

  • Evidence of beekeeping citations dates back to around 7,000 BC.

    • Rock painting from Spanish caves.

    • Neolithic Indian art depicting honey harvesting.

    • Australian Aboriginal art depicting honeycomb.

Date Specific Historical References

  • 1995: Keanth Stein historical reference.

  • Hieroglyphics of bee keeper responsibilities dated back to ancient Egypt.

    • Showing that bees and honey have been integral to human civilization historically.

Greek and Roman Contributions

  • Greek Coin dated ~200 BC showing bee depictions, confirming the long-standing relationship between humans and bees.

The Langstroth Hive

  • Developed during 1810-1895; revolutionized beekeeping with features to enhance bee management.

  • Components of the hive:

    • Outer Cover: Protects the hive from elements.

    • Inner Cover: Provides insulation.

    • Honey Supers: Holds honey comb production.

    • Queen Excluder: Prevents queen from laying eggs in honey supers.

    • Deep Super: Used primarily for brood.

    • Entrance Reducer: Controls the entrance size to minimize intrusions and maintain hive temperature.

    • Bottom Board: Foundation of the hive.

    • Stand: Raises the hive off the ground.

Bee Space

  • Defined as: gaps allowing bees to move freely without filling with wax or propolis (optimal range: 1/4" - 3/8").

Insect Diversity and Evolution

  • General Entomology Statistics:

    • Total named species in various categories:

    • Plants: 48,400

    • Insects: 925,000

    • Fungi: 69,000

    • Other Animals: 116,000

Insect Classifications Based on Orders

  • Categorization of hexapods:

    • DIVERSITY: 83% of insect diversity dominated by Hymenoptera (bees, wasps, ants).

Biological Roles of Insects

  • Pollination: Essential for crops and wild plants; bees play critical role as pollinators.

  • Natural Control of Pests: Predatory insects and parasitoids help curb pest populations.

  • Ecological Services: Responsible for cleanup of organic materials and decomposition processes.

Characteristics of Bees

Defining Features

  • Morphological Characteristics:

    • Plumose (branched) hairs for pollen collection

    • Enlarged hind basitarsus for pollen transport

Comparison with Wasps

  • Bees have distinctly more hair (plumose) than wasps which have simple hair structure.

Bee Adaptations

  • Mouthparts Adaptation:

    • Maxillae and labium are elongated for nectar sipping (proboscis).

    • Mandibles retain function for chewing solid materials.

  • Pollen Collection Adaptations:

    • Scopa (pollen baskets) on the hind legs in Family Apidae.

Bee Evolution and Social Structure

  • Eusociality: Characteristics of eusocial insects include:

    • Overlapping generations

    • Cooperative care of young

    • Division of labor between reproductive and non-reproductive castes.

  • Important relationships in haplodiploidy:

    • Sisters are more closely related to each other (r=0.75) than to their offspring (r=0.5).

Families of Bees

  1. Andrenidae: Known as mining bees; many are solitary.

  2. Apidae: Honeybees, bumblebees, and stingless bees; inclusive of social structures.

  3. Colletidae: Characterized by short-tongued bees; includes specialized nesting habits.

  4. Halictidae: Varying social behavior; often ground-nesting.

  5. Melittidae: Ancient family with few representatives.

  6. Stenotritidae: Extremely small with limited distribution.

Identification of Bee Families

  • Majority of bees can be identified by nesting habits, color patterns, and body structures including wing cell configurations.

Conclusion

  • Apiculture offers crucial insights into ecosystem function, biodiversity, and agricultural productivity, with honeybees playing a pivotal role as ecological agents.