Embedded Files
What do pollinators need to survive?
plants
nesting and shelter sites
protection from pesticides
clean water
Bees have a stinger like a fishhook which gets stuck in the skin of mammals. When the bee tries to fly away, the stinger, along with venom glands and part of its abdomen, is ripped out, causing the bee to die shortly after.
Why Do Bees Sting?
by Afrika and Saanya
Bees sting to defend their nest, honey, and queen from predators like bears, badgers, or humans who get too close. Bees are usually calm when looking for food but become defensive when they sense danger, such as being swatted at, squished, or when loud machinery like lawnmowers vibrates their hive. A sting releases chemicals that signal other bees to attack the threat, creating a larger swarm.
Bees have a stinger like a fishhook which gets stuck in the skin of mammals. When the bee tries to fly away, the stinger, venom glands, and part of its abdomen is ripped out, causing the bee to die shortly after.
How to heal a sting-
Remove the stinger
Wash with cold water
Treat the symptoms- Use an ice pack and don’t scratch!
Communication is a Survival Skill
Communication is a Survival Skill
How do Bees Communicate with Each Other?
By Saanya
Bees talk to each other, even though they can't talk to each other like humans do. Bees use dances, smells and movement to share information with each other. These involve where to find food and if there's danger. One of the incredible ways bees communicate is a dance called the waggle dance. Bees do the waggle dance when a scout bee locates a food source. When it finds the source it returns back to the hive.
Once the scout bee returns to the hive, it performs a waggle dance. The waggle dance consists of two parts. Straight run: When a bee moves forward and wags its stomach, it's telling other bees about the food. The angle of the scout bees run shows where the food is compared to the sun. Loops and Circuit: After the forward run, the scout bee finished a loop or circuit. The number of loops shows the distance to the food source. The more loops the bee makes, the farther the food is.
Bees also use chemical signals called pheromones to communicate. There are 3 types of pheromones. Queen Pheromones: The queen bee makes pheromones that control the behavior of bees. Alarm Pheromones: When a bee stings, it releases an alarm pheromone that warns other bees of possible danger. Trail Pheromones: Worker bees leave scent trails to lead others to food.
Another way bees communicate to each other is by sounds and vibrations. Vibrations: Bees make vibrations by quickly shaking their wings or bodies. Buzzing: The buzz of a hive carries information about its health. A healthy hive buzzes differently than a sick one.
Bees’ ability to communicate helps them stay alive. So, if you ever see a bee in your backyard garden, value its communication skill. They are the secret behind the hive's success!
How Long Do Bees Live?
By Natalie
Summer bees live around 4-6 weeks and die in the fall when nectar is hard to find. Winter bees are born in late summer or fall. They live for 9 or 10 months to keep the hive’s heat through winter. They die in spring. Did you know that male bees die shortly after mating? Otherwise they will die of cold or starvation. Did you know that queen bees remains in the center of the hive where worker bees keep her at a constant temperature during winter?
Report abuse