Honey bee  (Apis mellifera)

Species information

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Glossary

  • Abdomen: in arthropods (crustaceans, insects and arachnids) the abdomen is the hind region of the body, which is usually segmented to a degree. In crustacea (e.g. crabs) the limbs attach to the abdomen; in insects the limbs are attached to the thorax (the part of the body nearest to the head) and not the abdomen. In vertebrates the abdomen is the part of the body that contains the internal organs (except the heart and lungs).
  • Antennae: pair of sensory structures on the head of invertebrates.
  • Caste: in social insect colonies, a group of individuals that are structurally and/ or behaviourally distinct, performing certain tasks. Examples are the soldier caste of termites and ants, and the workers of bees.
  • Larva: stage in an animal's lifecycle after it hatches from the egg. Larvae are typically very different in appearance to adults; they are able to feed and move around but usually are unable to reproduce.
  • Pupa: stage in an insect's development when huge changes occur, which reorganise the larval form into the adult form. In butterflies the pupa is also called a chrysalis.
  • Pupal stage: stage in an insect's development, when huge changes occur that reorganise the larval form into the adult form. In butterflies the pupa is also called a chrysalis.
  • Subspecies: a different race of a species, which is geographically separated from other populations of that species.
  • Thorax: part of the body located near the head in animals. In insects, the three segments between the head and the abdomen, each of which has a pair of legs.

References

  1. National Biodiversity Network Species Dictionary (March 2003): http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nbn/
  2. Sterry, P. (1997) Collins Complete British Wildlife Photoguide. Harper Collins Publishers Ltd., London.
  3. Buczacki, S. (2002) Fauna Britannica. Hamlyn, London.
  4. O'Toole, C. (2002) The new encyclopedia of insects and their allies. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
  5. Von Frisch, K. (1966) The dancing bees: an account of the life and senses of the honey bee. Methuen & Co Ltd., London.
  6. Beekeeping and Apis Biodiversity in Europe (BABE). The European Commission (March 2003): http://www.biologie.uni-halle.de/zool/mol_ecol/babe/brochure.pdf
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