Waggle Dance
What does the waggle dance communicate?
It communicates the location of food sources (nectar/pollen).
Name the three main roles in a bee hive.
Queen, Worker, Drone.
Give one example of a solitary bee.
Examples: Carpenter bee, Leafcutter bee, Squash bee, Mason bee.
Why do bees swarm?
Bees swarm to find a new nest site when the colony gets too large or overcrowded.
Name one way humans help bees survive.
Humans can help by planting wildflowers, providing bee hotels, banning harmful pesticides, or protecting habitats.
What does the angle of the dance represent?
The angle of the dance represents the direction of the food source relative to the sun.
What is the queen’s primary job?
The queen’s main role is to lay eggs (reproduction).
How do solitary bees build nests differently than social bees?
Solitary bees build individual nests (in soil, wood, stems) rather than shared hives.
How do guard bees protect the hive?
Guard bees protect the hive entrance, detect intruders by smell, and sting or chase threats away.
How do pesticides affect bee populations?
Pesticides can poison bees, damage their navigation systems, reduce fertility, and weaken colonies.
Why is this dance important for hive survival?
It allows bees to efficiently share information about food, which helps the hive survive by maximizing foraging success.
How do worker bees support survival?
Worker bees forage, care for young, clean the hive, build comb, and defend the hive.
Which group is better at pollination efficiency, and why?
Solitary bees are often more efficient pollinators per visit, because they don’t store much pollen but directly transfer it between flowers.
What happens if a queen bee dies?
The hive may become unstable, but workers can raise a new queen from larvae by feeding royal jelly.
Why are bees essential for human food security?
Bees are vital pollinators. They pollinate about one third of human food crops, ensuring fruit, vegetable, and seed production.
What challenge do bees face when using waggle dances?
It can be misinterpreted or inaccurate over long distances, and environmental factors (e.g., weather, obstacles) can make communication harder.
Why are drones less common in winter?
Drones are mainly for mating, so in winter (when conserving food is critical), colonies expel drones to save resources.
What survival risk is higher for solitary bees compared to hive bees?
Solitary bees are more vulnerable to predators, weather, and habitat loss since they lack hive protection.
Explain one way bee behaviours increase colony survival during winter.
Bees cluster together to generate heat, reduce activity to save energy, and consume stored honey to survive winter.
Describe how climate change could impact bee behaviour.
Climate change can shift flower blooming times, disrupt food availability, cause habitat loss, and increase stress on bee survival.