How to Identify and Classify Bees
  • 1. What is the most obvious physical characteristic that distinguishes bees from flies?
A) Bees have branched hairs; flies have unbranched hairs.
B) Bees have thicker bodies; flies have thinner bodies.
C) Bees have larger eyes; flies have smaller eyes.
D) Bees have longer antennae; flies have shorter antennae.
  • 2. Which bee family is known for its pollen baskets (corbiculae) on its hind legs?
A) Apidae
B) Megachilidae
C) Halictidae
D) Andrenidae
  • 3. What is the primary food source for bee larvae?
A) Honey and water
B) Only pollen
C) Pollen and nectar
D) Only nectar
  • 4. Which of the following is NOT a key characteristic for identifying bee species?
A) Wing vein patterns
B) Size and color
C) Hair patterns
D) Facial markings
  • 5. Leafcutter bees belong to which family?
A) Apidae
B) Colletidae
C) Megachilidae
D) Andrenidae
  • 6. What does 'eusocial' mean in the context of bee societies?
A) Having equal division of labor.
B) Living in solitary nests.
C) Having cooperative brood care, overlapping generations, and reproductive division of labor.
D) Having only one queen.
  • 7. Which bee family typically has heart-shaped faces?
A) Andrenidae
B) Halictidae
C) Megachilidae
D) Apidae
  • 8. What is the function of the scopa in bees?
A) To carry pollen
B) To build nests
C) To sting
D) To defend the hive
  • 9. Which bee family is known for its cellophane-like nest linings?
A) Halictidae
B) Apidae
C) Colletidae
D) Megachilidae
  • 10. What distinguishes a bee's antenna from other insects?
A) Bees have geniculate antennae.
B) Bees have feathery antennae.
C) Bees have segmented antennae.
D) Bees have straight antennae.
  • 11. What is the role of worker bees in a honey bee colony?
A) Laying eggs.
B) Mating with the queen.
C) Performing tasks such as foraging, building comb, and caring for the brood.
D) Protecting the hive from predators.
  • 12. Which bee is often metallic green or blue?
A) Apidae (Honey Bees)
B) Megachilidae (Leafcutter Bees)
C) Halictidae (Sweat Bees)
D) Andrenidae (Mining Bees)
  • 13. How do you differentiate between male and female bees in most species?
A) Males have pollen baskets, females do not.
B) Males typically have longer antennae and lack stingers.
C) Females are always larger than males.
D) Females are more colorful than males.
  • 14. What does 'oligolectic' mean when describing a bee?
A) Collecting pollen from any flower.
B) Specializing in collecting pollen from only a few plant species.
C) Building nests in trees.
D) Collecting only nectar.
  • 15. What is the primary role of drone bees in a honey bee hive?
A) To defend the hive
B) To mate with the queen
C) To build honeycombs
D) To forage for food
  • 16. Which characteristic is NOT helpful in identifying bees?
A) The time of day the bee is active.
B) The bee's nesting behavior.
C) The shape of the bee's mandibles.
D) The flower visited by the bee.
  • 17. What type of mouthparts do bees possess?
A) A siphoning mouthpart.
B) A piercing-sucking mouthpart.
C) Mandibles for chewing wood.
D) A proboscis for sucking nectar.
  • 18. What is the role of the queen bee?
A) Guarding the hive
B) Cleaning the hive
C) Foraging for food
D) Laying eggs
  • 19. What is the main purpose of nectar collection for bees?
A) To provide protein for larval development
B) To build nests
C) To provide carbohydrates for energy
D) To attract mates
  • 20. Which bee family is usually small and dark, often with metallic reflections?
A) Apidae
B) Halictidae
C) Megachilidae
D) Andrenidae
  • 21. What is the hamuli?
A) A stinging apparatus.
B) A sensory organ on the antenna.
C) A type of pollen basket.
D) Hooks that connect the front and hind wings.
  • 22. Which bee family is known for their large size and fuzzy appearance, resembling bumblebees?
A) Andrenidae
B) Megachilidae
C) Halictidae
D) Apidae (some species)
  • 23. What type of nests do solitary bees typically build?
A) Nests made of mud.
B) Individual nests in the ground, cavities, or plant stems.
C) Paper nests.
D) Large communal hives.
  • 24. What is a kleptoparasitic bee?
A) A bee that builds nests in decaying wood.
B) A bee that only collects nectar.
C) A bee that is highly aggressive.
D) A bee that steals pollen from other bees' nests.
  • 25. What is the significance of the bee's branched hairs in pollen collection?
A) They increase the surface area for pollen to adhere to.
B) They help the bee attract mates.
C) They protect the bee from predators.
D) They help the bee fly faster.
  • 26. Which bee does not have branched hairs?
A) Apidae
B) Halictidae
C) None, branched hairs are defining characteristic
D) Megachilidae
  • 27. What is the function of the malar space in bees?
A) The stingers entry point to its host
B) Pouch for storing nectar
C) Air intake for breathing
D) The area between the base of the mandibles and the eyes
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