Why bees buzz

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  • betplom
    SBR Posting Legend
    • 09-20-06
    • 13444

    #1
    Why bees buzz
    Bees buzz for two reasons. First, the rapid wingbeats of many species create wind vibrations that people hear as buzzes. The larger the bee, the slower the wingbeat and the lower the pitch of the resulting buzz. This is a phenomenon of the wingbeats and not specifically of bees--some flies, beetles, and wasps also have buzzy flight caused by their wingbeats.

    In addition some bees, most commonly bumblebees (genus Bombus), are capable of vibrating their wing muscles and thorax (the middle segment of their body) while visiting flowers. These vibrations shake the pollen off the flower's anthers and onto the bee's body. Some of that pollen then gets deposited on the next flower the bee visits, resulting in pollination. The bee grooms the remainder of the pollen onto special pollen-carrying structures (on the hind legs of most bees) and takes it back to the nest to feed to the larvae.

    When bumblebees vibrate flowers to release pollen, the corresponding buzz is quite loud. Honeybees (genus Apis) are incapable of buzz-pollination and are usually quiet when foraging on flowers. As an aside, some flowers are adapted to pollination by pollinators capable of "buzz-pollination." Tomatoes, green peppers and blueberries all have tubular anthers with the pollen inside the tube. When the bee vibrates the flower, the pollen falls out of the tubular anther onto the bee. Consequently, bumblebees pollinate these crops much more efficiently than honeybees do.

    Now you know.
  • Mudcat
    Restricted User
    • 07-21-05
    • 9287

    #2
    Your posts lately have been like little shorts from the National Film Board. I can almost hear the Hinterland music as I read them.
    Comment
    • englishmike
      SBR Hall of Famer
      • 06-19-08
      • 5279

      #3
      Bees buzz for the same reason a dog licks its balls.

      Because it can.
      Comment
      • dwaechte
        SBR Hall of Famer
        • 08-27-07
        • 5481

        #4
        Plommer has finally snapped lol.
        Comment
        • Richkas
          SBR Posting Legend
          • 02-03-08
          • 19396

          #5
          Originally posted by dwaechte
          Plommer has finally snapped lol.

          Theres alot of inbreds north of the border.
          Comment
          • Willie Bee
            SBR Posting Legend
            • 02-14-06
            • 15726

            #6
            I'll tell how this Bee buzzes: Bourbon, splash of soda and a little lemon off the tree up the hill.
            Comment
            • betplom
              SBR Posting Legend
              • 09-20-06
              • 13444

              #7
              Originally posted by Willie Bee
              I'll tell how this Bee buzzes: Bourbon, splash of soda and a little lemon off the tree up the hill.
              Comment
              • CS-Cedrick
                SBR MVP
                • 01-10-09
                • 1578

                #8
                Originally posted by betplom
                Bees buzz for two reasons. First, the rapid wingbeats of many species create wind vibrations that people hear as buzzes. The larger the bee, the slower the wingbeat and the lower the pitch of the resulting buzz. This is a phenomenon of the wingbeats and not specifically of bees--some flies, beetles, and wasps also have buzzy flight caused by their wingbeats.

                In addition some bees, most commonly bumblebees (genus Bombus), are capable of vibrating their wing muscles and thorax (the middle segment of their body) while visiting flowers. These vibrations shake the pollen off the flower's anthers and onto the bee's body. Some of that pollen then gets deposited on the next flower the bee visits, resulting in pollination. The bee grooms the remainder of the pollen onto special pollen-carrying structures (on the hind legs of most bees) and takes it back to the nest to feed to the larvae.

                When bumblebees vibrate flowers to release pollen, the corresponding buzz is quite loud. Honeybees (genus Apis) are incapable of buzz-pollination and are usually quiet when foraging on flowers. As an aside, some flowers are adapted to pollination by pollinators capable of "buzz-pollination." Tomatoes, green peppers and blueberries all have tubular anthers with the pollen inside the tube. When the bee vibrates the flower, the pollen falls out of the tubular anther onto the bee. Consequently, bumblebees pollinate these crops much more efficiently than honeybees do.

                Now you know.
                What a rich post we have here
                Comment
                • CS-Cedrick
                  SBR MVP
                  • 01-10-09
                  • 1578

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Willie Bee
                  I'll tell how this Bee buzzes: Bourbon, splash of soda and a little lemon off the tree up the hill.
                  Another rich post
                  Comment
                  • Madukwe
                    SBR Wise Guy
                    • 06-11-09
                    • 601

                    #10
                    i thought this thread was going to be an explanation of what makes Buztah tick.

                    thoroughly disappointed
                    Comment
                    • pico
                      BARRELED IN @ SBR!
                      • 04-05-07
                      • 27321

                      #11
                      now i know.

                      most educational poster of the month
                      Comment
                      • MilfDriller
                        Restricted User
                        • 11-23-08
                        • 10186

                        #12
                        JJ makes a bee go buzz (and I quote) 'by grabbing the prick like so'

                        Very disappointed that JJ is a tallywacker-taster.
                        Comment
                        • zubzub
                          SBR Wise Guy
                          • 09-09-09
                          • 714

                          #13
                          Bees are amazing.

                          The first baseball team I was ever on was called The Bees.

                          We had Yellow shirts
                          Comment
                          • zubzub
                            SBR Wise Guy
                            • 09-09-09
                            • 714

                            #14
                            Originally posted by betplom
                            Tomatoes, green peppers and blueberries all have tubular anthers with the pollen inside the tube. When the bee vibrates the flower, the pollen falls out of the tubular anther onto the bee.
                            Comment
                            • pavyracer
                              SBR Aristocracy
                              • 04-12-07
                              • 82840

                              #15
                              Comment
                              • gamble_on
                                SBR Rookie
                                • 04-22-13
                                • 21

                                #16
                                Originally posted by dwaechte
                                Plommer has finally snapped lol.
                                what is a "dwaechte" ?
                                Comment
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