Bees and the Science of Bee Keeping
Bee Swarms
  • A swarm has from 1,500 to 30,000 bees.
  • It will have workers, drones, and a queen.
  • When a nest is over crowded the bees will swarm
  • Only skilled bee keepers should manage a bee swarm
http://entomology.unl.edu/beekpg/beeswarm.shtml
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Bee stings
  • Bees stings hurt
  • Bees stingers sometimes stay in
  • The stingers should be removed
    http://www.surviveoutdoors.com/reference/beeswasps/index.asp
  • When a bee stings you its organs are pulled out that’s why it dies
  • Sometimes people think they got stung but they only got bitten
  • Stinging is a form of defense
  • They sting to protect their hive and their queen
  • Not all bees die after stinging

Food and non-food products with honey
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Bee keeping and Honey Making
  • The worker bees make the honey in the colonies.
  • When a colony is started, the worker bees start by building combs where they store honey and raise their young.
  • All the workers go out of the hive to collect nectar from flowers. During this process, they're also pollinating the flowers.
  • Bees have enzymes that turn sucrose into glucose and fructose which makes the honey.
  • Honey is only about 18 percent water, and its the bees job to evaporate the extra water from the nectar.
  • The bees place small droplets on the upper sides of the cells. Then, they fan their wings to increase air flow which evaporates the excess moisture.
  • Once the honey has the correct amount of water, the bees seal the cells with a wax cap to preserve the honey. When most of the cells in the comb are covered with wax seals, it means the beekeeper can now harvest the honey.
http://ezinearticles.com/?Beekeeping-and-Honey-Bees---The-Art-of-Making-Honey&id=5794794
  • Beekeepers are people who keep bees for the honey that they make.
  • Most beekeepers have beehives in their backyards.
http://outdoorplace.org/beekeeping/citybees.htm
  • There's a few ways to harvest the honey. Some people use an expensive machine that spins the honey out of the combs. Others cut out a square from the frame and package it in a plastic container. You can also cut out the comb, put it in a mesh bag and squeeze it until the honey slowly drips out.
  • Beekeepers need a lot of equipment to successfully get the bees to make honey. There's many different frames and boxes that the hives go in. They also have to wear gloves and a veil to prevent any stings. Another thing they use to prevent stings is something called a smoker. It calms the bees and pine straw, grass and burlap are things they use as fuel. There's also feeders, which hold sugar syrup that feeds the bees in the fall and early spring.





http://www.beginningbeekeeping.com/index.html


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Types of bees: There are many types of bees such as bumble bees, hornets, yellow jackets.
Bumble bees- this type of bee is usually seen during warm spring weather. It flies from flower to flower gathering pollen and nectar. Bumble bees are the least aggressive type of bee but they will protect their nest if it is threatened. They usually live in dry grass clippings, a pile of dry leaves, outdoor furniture cushions, or any type of loose material.
Yellow jackets- yellow jackets have as very recognizable nest that hang upside down in a teardrop shape from tree branches, shrubs, or decks. They can also live inside the walls of your home and may be able to hear. They create a slight crackling, tickling, or “rusting leaves” sounds inside the wall or ceiling.
Although hornets and yellow jackets make very similar nests and have very little differences, hornets are much more aggressive.http://www.thebeehunter.com/types-of-bees.html
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Hornet
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Bumble Bee
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Yellow Jacket