Bee body division and parts

1. Dr. Mandeep Rathee
Training Assistant
KVK Kaithal
mndprathee@gmail.com
CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar
ONLINE TRAINING ON BEEKEEPING

2. • Morphology
– Study of form and structure of organism
– Greek work: morphe meaning ‘form’ + logos means ‘study’
– Eidonomy: Study of external appearance of an organism
– Eidos: ‘form’
– Anatomy: Study of internal appearance of an organism
– Anatome: ‘dissection’
• Physiology
– Study of functions, mechanisms, and activities of organisms at the
cellular or organ system level
– Physis means ‘nature’ + logia means ‘study of’
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Introduction

3. Body Division
• HEAD
• THORAX
• ABDOMEN
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4. HEAD
• Anterior most part of the body
(3.1-4.0 mm width)
• Visual, olfactory, gustatory and
communication center
• Triangular (anterior view) and
flat (posterior view)
• Worker: triangular and
slightly longer than broad
• Queen: A bit round
• Drone: Much large, round and
greatly occupied by the large
black kidney shaped
compound eyes which meet at
the top (vertex) of the head
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•Geniculate (2)
ANTENNAE
•Compound eyes
(2)
•Ocelli (3)
EYES
•Chewing and
lapping
MOUTH
PARTS
•Suboesophageal
ganglion
BRAIN

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• Compound eyes (two)
– Present dorsoventrally
– Composed of photoreceptor cells
known as Ommatidium
– Pick up shapes & colours
– Ommatidia: 3000-4000 (queen) to
8000-9000 (drones)
– Complex image
– 2.4 mm to 3.6 mm
• Simple eyes/ Ocelli (three)
– Present as triplet on dorsal
surface
– Navigation & orientation
– Consist on one lens
– Simple image
– 0.30 to 0.36 mm
• Cannot see RED, but possess
UV vision
Eyes

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• Antennae (two): Geniculate type (elbow shaped, 5.4-5.5 mm length)
• Sensory organs of touch, odor, hear, temperature, RH
• Present between compound eyes
• Possess Johnston’s organ in pedicel
– Scape
– Pedicel
– Flagellum
Antennae

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• Chewing and lapping type for utilizing nectar, pollen and water
• Proboscis shaped
• Directed downwards
• A labrum (upper lip)
• A pair of mandible (upper jaw)
• A pair of maxillae (lower jaw)
• A labium (lower lip)
Mouth parts

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• A labrum (upper lip)
– Small plate like sclerite
– Reduced, narrow and rectangular
– Hold the food and site for attachment of
epipharyngeal wall
• A pair of mandible (upper jaw)
– Spatula/Dumble like expand distally
– Help eat pollen, mold wax
– Operate sidewise, protect proboscis
– Smallest: Drone
– Queen: Strongest, sharp and bilobed to cut open the
anterior end of the sealed queen-cell for emergence
• A pair of maxillae (lower jaw)
– Rod like cardo -Elongated stipes -Maxillary palpi -
Galea (fork) -Lacinia (spoon)
• A labium (lower lip)
– Prementum - Mentum - Submentum
– Prementum has sensory palpi
– Innermost: Glossae; Outer: Paraglossae
Mouth parts
Labellum:
Glossae terminates to form a
spoon shaped lobe to lick nectar

10. Feeding Mechanism
• Proboscis (6.5 mm)
• The galeae fit tightly against the
elongated labial palps
• Roof over the elongated glossae (tongue)
to form a temporary food channel
through which saliva (from salivary
glands) is discharged
• The tongue is trusted into flower, which
gets smeared with nectar
• It is then retracted between labial palps
& galeae
• Nectar is then squeezed by galeae and is
deposited in the cavity formed by the
paraglossae
• Accumulated nectar is then drawn into
oesophagus by the pharyngeal pump
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11. Trophallaxis
• Trophallaxis is the transfer of food or other fluids among members of
a community through mouth-to-mouth
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12. THORAX
• Second body segment
• 3.6-4.9 mm long and 3.7 to 4.4 mm wide
• Bear 2 pair of wings and 3 pair of legs
• Specialized for locomotion
– Prothorax
– Mesothorax
– Metathorax
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13. Wings
• Membranous organs of flight
• Simple in shape and venation
• Forewings (9.5 mm): On mesothorax
• Hindwings (7.9 mm): On metathorax
• Forewings have sclerotized fold on posterior (PRM) and hindwings
have 20 hooks on costal (antenior margin) called hamuli
• Locked during flight
• Worker also uses wings to ventilate hive
• Wing beats: 400-500/minute
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14. Wing coupling
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15. Legs
• Three pairs of legs in all the 3
castes
• Forelegs (prothoracic legs)
– Antennae cleaner
– Semi-circular notch on
metatarsus and a tibial
spur (velum)
– Accessory lobe scrapes
pollen and dust
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16. Legs
• Middle legs (mesothoracic legs)
– Pollen brushing legs
– Flat metatarsus with several
rows of hairs on inner side
– Brush off pollen from body
surface
– Bristle to upload pollen in
pollen basket
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17. Legs
• Hind legs (mesothoracic legs)
– Pollen collecting legs
– Tibia highly modified
– Pollen basket/corbicula to carry pollen
pellets/pants and propolis
– Hairs basally and outer surface hold pollen
– Broad basitarsus helps in pollen collection
and packing
– Deep notch (tibia-basitarsus) act as pollen
press
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18. Comparison of honey bee legs
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19. Carries visceral organs and systems
Queen and worker: 8 segmented
Drone: 9 segmented
The first abdominal segment (I) is fused with the metathorax, called
the propodeum
The second abdominal segment (II) is greatly constricted anteriorly at
its union with the propodeum, known as petiole
The petiole gives freedom to the abdomen movement.
The remaining abdominal segments (Ill-VII) are collectively called as
gaster
The gaster consists of six exposed segments in the females and
seven in the drones and the
Remaining are concealed and/or considerably modified into external
reproductive organs genitalia
Abdomen

20. Thorax and Abdomen
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21. The abdomen also houses different types of
glands and spiracles
Wax glands: Four pairs are present in the
anterior part of the ventral (lower) side of 4th to
7th abdominal segments (sterna) in workers
Nasanov gland or scent gland: Present in
workers only. Concealed between the upper side
of 6th and 7th abdominal segments (terga). Its
scent helps the workers in communicating the
availability of food sources, threat, etc.
Venom gland: Sting and venom sac. The bee
sting is a modified ovipositor and serves as an
instrument of defense in workers and queen
Abdominal glands

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