The Internal Parts of a Worker Honeybee

Head:

Brain: Bees are able to figure out and do many different things. The brain is where the bee thinks. It is where the honeybee figures out where it is and how to get back to its hive. A honeybee’s brain is very dense (heavy for its size).

Mouth: The place in the bee’s head where it takes in food.

Thorax:

Oesophagus: The tube that joins the proboscis and the mouth to the honey sac and stomach.

Muscles: The large muscles that work the legs and wings are found in the thorax.

Abdomen:

Honey Sac: This is where the bee carries the nectar or water that it collects.

Stomach: (made up of 3 parts: foregut, mid-gut, hindgut) The honeybee needs a lot of energy to do its work. The stomach is where the honey that the bee eats is turned into energy.
Heart: The part of a bee that pumps the blood through its body.

Venom Sac: The sac that contains the poison that makes a bee sting hurt and swell. After it is pulled out of the bee’s abdomen, the venom sac keeps on pumping the venom (poison) into the stinger.

Rectum / Anus: The place, from where the bee eliminates or gets rid of its waste. 


Preknowledge: Interesting Fact

 A honeybee will not defecate (use the toilet) in the beehive, even if the bee is unable to leave the hive for a long time because it is too cold or raining. It will wait weeks or even months until it can go outside to defecate.  Sometimes honeybees get diarrhoea (belly run) when they cannot go outside to defecate for a long time.


Activity: Drawing Activity
Draw and label the internal parts of a worker bee in your exercise book.  Explain what the bee uses the body parts for or what each part of the body does

Activity: Sorting Activity

After you have gone over the information on the body parts of the worker bee, this activity will help you review what you have learned. Your teacher will place the 3 sorting sheets (Head, Thorax, Abdomen) where you can see them. The teacher will then pass out the small cards that have a bee body part written on them. A student will be chosen to start. This person will read the body part on the card out loud and then decide on which part of the bee’s body it is found - head, thorax or abdomen. The student will then place the card on the correct sheet. If the student does not know the answer, other students may help. This is a review exercise not an exam or test.  Students will stand one at a time, read the card, and place it in the correct category until the cards have all been read and sorted.

Extension:  You may be asked to say what the body part is used for.



Activity: Bee Observation

Go to the hives and watch the bees flying and landing at the entrance.  Be sure not to sit or stand in front of the entrance to the hive or you may block the bees from returning to the hive and the bees may get cross.  In your exercise books make notes about how you see the bees using their bodies. Your list might include:

  • If there is pollen in the pollen baskets,
  • If the bees use their antennae (and how).
  • Are their wings used for more than just flying?
  • Are there any bees fanning the entrance?

img68_2
Activity: Comprehension Question
In partners or small groups discuss why you think it is important for honeybees to have a good sense of touch, taste, smell, and sight. Be prepared to share your answer in a class discussion.  Can bees see inside the hive?

Activity: Assignments
  1. When walking in the bush, try to find a colony of bush bees, (Trigona). Try to find a wild colony of Apis mellifera or ligustica honeybees.  If you see bees flying, try to follow them to their hive.
  2. Talk to older people in your village and ask them if they know anything about bush bees, and how to find them and collect their honey.  Report to the class what you find out from the villagers.  Bring some bush bee honey to class if you can.
  3. If you are in Guadalcanal, Savo, Nggela, Munda, Seghe or Makira try and catch an Asiatic hive bee, Apis cerana.


« previous | next »