Bees: From Pollinators to Social Structures

Bees, closely related to ants and wasps, are found worldwide except Antarctica. They are known for their pollination role, feeding on nectar and collecting pollen. Bees have evolved specialized anatomy for this task, including long tongues and pollen baskets. They navigate using eyesight and smell, and communicate through pheromones. Bees live in complex social structures, with roles divided among queens, workers, and drones. Reproduction involves haplodiploid genetics, ensuring genetic diversity. Bees defend themselves with stingers, and some species exhibit aggressive behavior.

What is a distinctive feature of bees that helps them in cleaning their antennae?

• Fan-like bristles on forelimbs

• Pollen baskets

• Compound eyes

• Long tongues

How do bees primarily navigate their environment?

• Using echolocation

• Through eyesight and smell

• By following magnetic fields

• Using sonar

Which type of bees are known for having a strict social structure within their colonies?

• Primitively social bees

• Solitary bees

• Nomadic bees

• Eusocial bees

What is the primary role of worker bees in a colony?

• To lay eggs

• To defend the colony

• To forage for food and build the hive

• To mate with the queen

How do honeybee queens ensure genetic diversity in their colonies?

• By cloning themselves

• By mating with multiple drones

• By migrating to different colonies

• By laying unfertilized eggs

What is a unique genetic feature of bees that supports eusociality?

• Binary fission

• Haplodiploidy

• Parthenogenesis

• Polyploidy

What happens to a bee when it uses its barbed stinger on a larger mammal?

• The bee dies after stinging

• The stinger retracts safely

• The venom is ineffective

• It can sting multiple times