General Quizz Series

Honey bee Biology and Ecology

A quizz just for fun

Trusted by UK beekeepers for calm, productive Buckfast nucs

Dorset-raised nucleus colonies with UK-mated queens. Disease-checked, friendly advice, secure checkout, and dependable Royal Mail delivery.

Royal Mail Special Delivery
Tracked & secure when shipped
Secure Checkout
SSL & trusted payment providers
5-Star Customer Reviews
Trusted by beekeepers across the UK
UK Customer Support
Friendly advice for new & experienced keepers

🐝 Honey Bee Biology & Ecology β€” Chapter 2 (Practice Quiz)

Answer all parts, then click Submit. Options and sequences reshuffle each time you load or reset the quiz.

Section A β€” One correct OR select all that apply (1 mark each)

1) Honey bees have three main body segments. Name them.
2) Which structures are found on the head of a worker honey bee? (select all that apply)
3) Where are the wings and legs attached on a honey bee?
4) Which abdominal structures are unique to worker bees?
5) Which statements about the honey stomach (crop) are correct? (select all that apply)
6) Which castes in honey bees possess a sting?
7) What is the difference between the worker sting and the queen’s sting?
8) Which caste is responsible for laying eggs in a normal colony?
9) Approximately how long is the development time from egg to adult for each caste?
10) Which roles are carried out by worker bees as they age? (select all that apply)
11) What is the function of the pollen baskets (corbiculae)?
12) How is nectar converted into ripe honey in the hive?
13) Which of the following are typical of spring colony behaviour in temperate climates? (select all that apply)
14) What is the primary role of drones in the colony?
15) Which statement best describes the seasonal cluster in winter?
16) Which statements about queen biology are correct? (select all that apply)
17) Which statement about worker age-related division of labour is true?

Section B β€” Short answer / multi-part

18a) Match the caste to its typical trait:
Large eyes meeting on top of head; no sting
Developed ovaries; long abdomen; lays eggs
Pollen baskets and wax glands; performs hive tasks
18b) Which items are components of the worker hind leg? (select all that apply)
19) Put in order the steps of nectar processing into ripe honey (1 = first):
  1. Forager stores nectar in crop and returns to hive
  2. Trophallaxis to house bees; enzymes (invertase et al.) added
  3. Evaporation by fanning; water content reduced
  4. Cells filled and ripened to safe moisture
  5. Ripe honey is capped with wax
20) Which are typical house-bee duties before a worker begins foraging? (select all that apply)

Section C β€” Sequences and extended items

21) Put in order the development of a queen bee from egg to mated queen (1 = first):
  1. Egg (laid in queen cup)
  2. Larva (fed royal jelly)
  3. Pupa (in sealed queen cell)
  4. Virgin queen emerges
  5. Mated queen after mating flights
22) Put in order the worker development stages with approximate timing (1 = first):
  1. Egg (days 0–3)
  2. Larva (days ~3–9)
  3. Pupa (sealed; days ~9–21)
  4. Adult worker emerges (~day 21)
23) Match the organ/structure to its primary function:
Hypopharyngeal glands β†’
Malpighian tubules β†’
Honey stomach (crop) β†’
24) Which factors influence foraging decisions and recruitment? (select all that apply)
25) Which statement best describes the role of royal jelly in queen development?