tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744143356678453071.post9137211705930532461..comments2024-03-28T07:50:11.102-05:00Comments on Science Decoded: SFSYO: Scientist of the Month David TarpeyAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10615368861635447747noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744143356678453071.post-27744063495390483242013-05-14T16:10:30.697-05:002013-05-14T16:10:30.697-05:00Hi everyone,
Excellent questions! I don't kno...Hi everyone,<br /><br />Excellent questions! I don't know if I have answers to all of them, but I'll share what I know.<br /><br />Only honey bees make honey. Other (solitary) bees still collect pollen and nectar, but only honey bees (genus Apis) ripen it into honey and store large quantities of it for the winter.<br /><br />All honey combs are hexagonal. That's because it gives the greatest storage space and structural strength while minimizing the amount of wax. Check out this article that just came out today!<br /><br />http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2013/05/13/183704091/what-is-it-about-bees-and-hexagons<br /><br />Bees make honey by collecting nectar (sugar water) from flowers and then evaporating most of the water out of it to concentrate the sugars.<br /><br />Bees die after they sting because the stinger is barbed, like a fishhook. So, when she pulls away after she stings you, it gets stuck in your skin and tears out her insides (which is fatal).<br /><br />When it rains, honey bees simply stay inside their hive to keep warm and dry. Wouldn't you?!<br /><br />The inside anatomy of bees isn't very different from other insects. Check out this diagram:<br /><br />http://www.geochembio.com/biology/organisms/honeybee/<br /><br />Finally, I'm not really sure why bees are black and yellow. There is actually a lot of color differences among bees, ranging from black to brown to light tan. Just don't mistake them for yellow jackets, which are more brightly colored!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10561217083810350085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744143356678453071.post-56354805539744851372013-05-14T10:22:10.556-05:002013-05-14T10:22:10.556-05:00Hi Dr. David! Thank you for being our scientist of...Hi Dr. David! Thank you for being our scientist of the month. We would like to know: do all kinds of bees make honey? Are all honey combs hexagons? Is there a reason why bees use that shape? How do bees make honey? Why do bees die after they sting you? What do bees do when it rains? What does it look like inside of a bee? Why are bees black and yellow? Thank you! - From 1PAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com