Different life cycles and roles

Queen bees

The life cycle of queen bees begins with the laying of eggs by the queen in the hive. After three days, the larvae emerge from the eggs and are fed by the worker bees with their special milk, called royal jelly. After about 7-8 days, the larvae are sealed in the cells and turn into pupae.

After 16 days of laying the egg, the adult queen bee emerges from the cell and begins her job of laying eggs and maintaining the unity of the hive. The life of a queen lasts an average of one to three years, during which time she lays thousands of eggs. If the queen dies or is no longer able to lay eggs, the hive tries to replace her with a new queen, which is raised by the worker bees selected for this task.

Worker bees

The life cycle of a worker bee begins with the laying of the egg by the queen in the hive. After three days, the egg hatches and a small larva emerges. The worker bees feed the larvae with their special milk, called royal jelly, and the larvae grow very rapidly, going through five stages of development.

After about 6-7 days, the larva pupates and is sealed in its cell by the worker bee that fed it. 12-13 days after laying the egg, the adult bee emerges from the cell, complete with its mouthparts and all the organs necessary for its life in the hive.

In the early stages of its life, the worker bee performs tasks within the hive, such as cleaning the cells, caring for the larvae, producing wax, ventilating and collecting nectar. Later, the worker bee collects nectar and pollen outside the hive, thus becoming a forager bee.

The life span of a worker bee varies according to its activity inside the hive: forager bees, who carry out the riskier task of collecting nectar outside the hive, generally live alone few weeks, while bees that perform tasks inside the hive can live up to 6 weeks. In any case, when the worker bees die, they are replaced by other young bees that emerge from the cells.

What are foragers

Forager bees are the worker bees that collect nectar, pollen and water outside the hive to feed the hive and produce honey. Forager bees are among the oldest worker bees in the hive, as they have already performed a variety of tasks within the hive, such as cell cleaning, larval care, wax production and ventilation. /p>

Forager bees specialize in collecting nectar from flowers, which they then bring back to the hive to make honey. Forager bees can visit up to 1,500 flowers a day and can fly up to 5km from their hive to find the best flowers. Furthermore, forager bees also collect pollen, which is necessary for the production of royal jelly, the food of the larvae.

Forager bees perform a very important task for the survival of the hive, but their work is also very risky, as they have to face predators and bad weather. Furthermore, the activity of collecting nectar and pollen can be very tiring, and forager bees often die after a few weeks of activity. However, their contribution to the hive is essential for the production of honey and the survival of the colony.

Basic differences between Ligustica and Buckfast

Ligustica is a breed of bees originally from Italy, characterized by a golden yellow color, a streaked abdomen and a long tongue that allows it to collect nectar even from deep flowers. Ligustica bees are known for their docility and their high honey productivity, but they can be sensitive to varroa and other parasites.

The Buckfast breed, on the other hand, is a breed of bees created by the British Benedictine monk Brother Adam. The Buckfast breed was obtained by crossing different breeds of bees, including the Ligustica, to create a breed more resistant to diseases and parasites. Buckfast bees are generally calm and hardy, and are prized by beekeepers for their high honey productivity.

In summary, Ligustica is a breed of bees originally from Italy, characterized by a golden yellow color, a long tongue and good honey productivity, but can be sensitive to parasites. The Buckfast breed, on the other hand, is a breed created by Brother Adam, known for its resistance and its high honey productivity.