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BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: DayValleyDahlias on January 17, 2008, 04:39:02 pm

Title: What does a nurse bee look like?
Post by: DayValleyDahlias on January 17, 2008, 04:39:02 pm
"Make sure there are plenty of nurse bees"  How can I determine..who a nurse bee is?
Title: Re: What does a nurse bee look like?
Post by: randydrivesabus on January 17, 2008, 05:24:26 pm
the ones attending the brood.
Title: Re: What does a nurse bee look like?
Post by: tig on January 17, 2008, 07:42:53 pm
they are lighter in color, the eyes are bigger, have a fuzzy appearance, soft bodies and cannot sting you.
Title: Re: What does a nurse bee look like?
Post by: JP on January 17, 2008, 09:15:04 pm
they are lighter in color, the eyes are bigger, have a fuzzy appearance, soft bodies and cannot sting you.

Tig, Dayvalley was asking about nurse bees, not drones.

Sincerely, JP
Title: Re: What does a nurse bee look like?
Post by: Michael Bush on January 17, 2008, 09:19:15 pm
If you shake bees off of open brood, most will be nurse bees.
Title: Re: What does a nurse bee look like?
Post by: rdy-b on January 17, 2008, 09:36:51 pm
nurse bees are the newly hatched and young bees-the way you make sure you have plenty of nurse bees is to always have available brood of all stages to maintain the supply of young nurse bees---very beneficial to the success of your colony- RDY-B
Title: Re: What does a nurse bee look like?
Post by: tig on January 17, 2008, 10:05:34 pm
JP i was describing the young nurse bees.  they don't sting and look like what i said.
Title: Re: What does a nurse bee look like?
Post by: Moonshae on January 17, 2008, 10:10:28 pm
JP i was describing the young nurse bees.  they don't sting and look like what i said.

I've never heard that workers' eyes get smaller as they mature.
Title: Re: What does a nurse bee look like?
Post by: johnnybigfish on January 17, 2008, 10:17:23 pm
 Hmmm..I thought only the drones couldnt sting as their "Things" are developed into "mating tools" and i thought ALL other bees but the queen had their "Egg laying parts" converted into stingers when they were babies.
Did i learn something new tonite?
your friend,
john
Title: Re: What does a nurse bee look like?
Post by: rdy-b on January 17, 2008, 10:18:16 pm
they are lighter in color, the eyes are bigger, have a fuzzy appearance, soft bodies and cannot sting you.
 to bad it is not that easy -they can sting- 8-) RDY-B
Title: Re: What does a nurse bee look like?
Post by: rdy-b on January 17, 2008, 10:22:08 pm
Hmmm..I thought only the drones couldn't sting as their "Things" are developed into "mating tools" and i thought ALL other bees but the queen had their "Egg laying parts" converted into stingers when they were babies.
Did i learn something new tonight?
your friend,
john
dont think theirs any developing or converting taking place ether  :shock: :-D ;) RDY-B
Title: Re: What does a nurse bee look like?
Post by: the kid on January 17, 2008, 10:30:21 pm
I am in the undersanding only the drone can not sting ,,,    
in that case if you took a frame of capped brood only no other bees
put them in a nuc ,, when they emerged .. you could take a hand full
of the bees in your hand and squeeze ,,,, with out getting stung ......
that I want to see you do ,,  
how old befor they can sting???????
reason I say this is ,,I have never seen this in any book ,,
or ever heard it
I know Im a greener then grass 2 year keeper ,,,, but
the kid
Title: Re: What does a nurse bee look like?
Post by: johnnybigfish on January 17, 2008, 10:53:43 pm
Lol!!
Ok, how 'bout "selective genetic outcome" instead of developed and converted?
I got caught up in the moment trying to keep this family oriented and simple for people like me.
Your friend,
john
Title: Re: What does a nurse bee look like?
Post by: rdy-b on January 17, 2008, 10:59:19 pm
laying workers lay eggs and sting   ;)  "selective genetic outcome" :lol:  sold for a dollar RDY-B
Title: Re: What does a nurse bee look like?
Post by: johnnybigfish on January 17, 2008, 11:16:42 pm
Good deal RDB-Y!!
send me a twenty and i'll mail back your change!
this is what friends are all about!
your friend,
john
Title: Re: What does a nurse bee look like?
Post by: Brian D. Bray on January 17, 2008, 11:50:26 pm
"Make sure there are plenty of nurse bees"  How can I determine..who a nurse bee is?

They usually have a funny cap and a stethascope around their necks and a thermometer in one hand.
Title: Re: What does a nurse bee look like?
Post by: DayValleyDahlias on January 18, 2008, 01:35:05 am
Oh dear goodness Brian !
Title: Re: What does a nurse bee look like?
Post by: NWIN Beekeeper on January 18, 2008, 04:03:59 am
[they are lighter in color]

They have more hair so they appear more yellow, but there isn't a color change as they age.

[the eyes are bigger]

I have not noticed a difference in size.
I have noticed a few old field bees with bi-focals or cataract sunglasses.  8-)

[have a fuzzy appearance]

This is totally true.

[soft bodies and cannot sting you]

For a couple days as the exoskeleton hardens.
I have read that the make up the stinger has to cure and harden too.
But bees can bee nurse bees for weeks (this is only a matter of a few days).
Young bees don't serve as guard bees until they get older (past the nurse stage).
So, young bees tend not to be as defensive of the hive, but will sting if crushed.
So all in all, nurse bees can sting, but normally won't.

To keeps young bees from fouling the brood cells, their digestive tract and rear end are some of the last parts to be developed. The stinger has attachment to the gut muscles.
Title: Re: What does a nurse bee look like?
Post by: CBEE on January 18, 2008, 09:08:08 am
Brian beat me to it  :-D
Title: Re: What does a nurse bee look like?
Post by: Michael Bush on January 18, 2008, 07:50:28 pm
When you "Make sure there are plenty of nurse bees" you don't look at the bees.  You look at the comb you shake them off of.  If you shake them off of open brood then most of them will be nurse bees.

But the descriptions are accurate.
Title: Re: What does a nurse bee look like?
Post by: tig on January 18, 2008, 08:58:54 pm
the very young nurses bees don't sting.  the eyes are bigger in proportion to the rest of the body because the body hasn't filled out yet.  as the body enlarges, the eyes remain the same so they appear smaller.  i think it takes about 3 to 5 days before the newly emerged bees can sting. 

next time you inspect your boxes, take out a frame of emerging brood and watch as the bees emerge then you will notice what they look like.  get one of them in your hand and you will see how soft they are and how they can't sting you. it's always been a great pleasure to me to watch the bees emerging and observe their behavior.

if, however i accidentally drop a frame, i have to pick up all the young bees as they can't fly back to the box and will end up as food for the ants.
Title: Re: What does a nurse bee look like?
Post by: rdy-b on January 18, 2008, 09:39:48 pm
the very young nurses bees don't sting.  the eyes are bigger in proportion to the rest of the body because the body hasn't filled out yet.  as the body enlarges, the eyes remain the same so they appear smaller.  i think it takes about 3 to 5 days before the newly emerged bees can sting. 

next time you inspect your boxes, take out a frame of emerging brood and watch as the bees emerge then you will notice what they look like.  get one of them in your hand and you will see how soft they are and how they can't sting you. it's always been a great pleasure to me to watch the bees emerging and observe their behavior.

if, however i accidentally drop a frame, i have to pick up all the young bees as they can't fly back to the box and will end up as food for the ants.
   new born baby bees cant nurse ethier -to young to nurse-RDY-B
Title: Re: What does a nurse bee look like?
Post by: tig on January 18, 2008, 10:01:00 pm
i'm not sure about if they can nurse because the first thing i've seen them do after emerging is clean the cell they came from.  i have put them in queen cages along with a newly mated queen and they take care of her very well. but as to taking care of eggs and larva....i'm not sure.  when the weather permits i will experiment and see.
Title: Re: What does a nurse bee look like?
Post by: rdy-b on January 18, 2008, 10:18:10 pm
HIVE AND THE HONEY BEE is my source :lol: three days for milk-nine days for wax-whats your source for the sting development-i havnt found referance-RDY-B
Title: Re: What does a nurse bee look like?
Post by: rdy-b on January 18, 2008, 10:39:53 pm
found it baby bees Less than one day old cant sting -so they can sting before the glands in there head develop for secreting milk-soo i would venture to say that a nurse bee is three days old and it can sting 
  -RDY-B
Title: Re: What does a nurse bee look like?
Post by: rdy-b on January 18, 2008, 10:44:27 pm
;) :lol: 8-)
Title: Re: What does a nurse bee look like?
Post by: DayValleyDahlias on January 18, 2008, 11:38:36 pm
When you "Make sure there are plenty of nurse bees" you don't look at the bees.  You look at the comb you shake them off of.  If you shake them off of open brood then most of them will be nurse bees.

But the descriptions are accurate.

[/quote

Ah ha..got it!
Title: Re: What does a nurse bee look like?
Post by: Michael Bush on January 19, 2008, 11:40:40 am
I can't help picturing some newbee picking through the bees trying to find the fuzzy ones to put in a split...
Title: Re: What does a nurse bee look like?
Post by: rdy-b on January 19, 2008, 01:59:47 pm
 :) nothing surprises me any more -people get strange notions dont they  8-) RDY-B
Title: Re: What does a nurse bee look like?
Post by: the kid on January 19, 2008, 10:19:12 pm
this spring Im going to try sting therupy ..  so will take a just emerged bee and see if it will sting ,,,  what the heck Ill get stung one way or another ,,, and Ill learn somthing ,,, 
Title: Re: What does a nurse bee look like?
Post by: Understudy on January 20, 2008, 02:04:43 pm
(http://www.allergyaway.com/Images/NurseBee.jpg)

I think this is pretty close.  ;)

Sincerely,
Brendhan
Title: Re: What does a nurse bee look like?
Post by: Jerrymac on January 20, 2008, 02:16:20 pm
(http://www.longdog.karoo.net/smilies/lol.gif)
Title: Re: What does a nurse bee look like?
Post by: tig on January 20, 2008, 06:36:08 pm
 :lol:   :-D
Title: Re: What does a nurse bee look like?
Post by: DayValleyDahlias on January 20, 2008, 07:25:30 pm
 :-D  HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
Title: Re: What does a nurse bee look like?
Post by: Cindi on January 21, 2008, 12:14:07 am
Sharon, I always have my camera in the back pocket of my jeans, almost all summer long.  I take pictures and pictures of the bees.  I took some really cool pictures of the young nurse bees.  Look at this picture, it is very, very plain to see which are the younger, nursing bees.  You will see them, the lighter, fuzzier looking ones, and aren't they just so plain and simply cute!!!!  If you look closely in the picture you can also see larvae, in the shape of the C, there are quite a few nurse bees in this picture.  Hope this will help you to understand how they do look so very differently than their older sisters.  Have the best of a wonderful day.  Cindi

(http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/8721/babybeele0.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
Title: Re: What does a nurse bee look like?
Post by: DayValleyDahlias on January 21, 2008, 11:41:40 am
Oh Cindi, wonderful yes yes yes!  This all really helps me tons!  Little bees, I just have fallen in love with them...crazy me eh??

Hugs
Title: Re: What does a nurse bee look like?
Post by: Cindi on January 21, 2008, 10:40:49 pm
Sharon, nope, not crazy.  You ain't seen nothing yet!!!!  The love of the honeybee goes deep, and gets deeper and deeper and deeper.  I can't believe what craze has overcome me since my first learning the depths of these wonderful creatures of our world.

Look closely at the baby bees.  See how short their abdomens are compared to their wings, then look at the older bee, see the length of the abdomen of them.  That is a work of wonder to see, these baby bees change so much in just three weeks.  Your love of the bee will deepen.  Have a crazy and wonderful day.  Cindi