Page 67 - The Miracle of the Honeybee

THE DIFFERENCES AMONG HONEYBEES

Characteristic Worker Queen Drone
Sensory
Number of facets of compound eyes 4000 to 6900 3000 to 4000 7000 to 8600
Optic lobe of brain Medium Small Large
Number of antennal plate organs 3000 1600 30000
Relative ratio of antennal surface 2 1 3

Glandular
Hypopharyngeal Present Absent Absent
Mandibular Large Very large Small
Head salivary (labial) Large Large Absent
Wax glands Present Absent Absent
Nasonov (concerned with direction Present Absent Absent
finding)
Dufour (concerned with defense) Reduced Large Absent
Koshevnikov (scent-secreting gland) Reduced or absent Present Absent

Reproductive and sting
Ovary or testis Reduced ovaries Enlarged ovaries Testis
Number of ovarioles 2 to 12 150 to 180 None
Spermatheca Not developed Large None
Sting barbs Strong Minute No sting
Sting plates Loosely attached Strongly attached None

Mouthpart
Mandibles Slender Robust Small
Mandibular groove Present Absent Absent
Proboscis Long Short Short

Leg and wing
Pollen press and comb Present Absent Absent
Pollen basket Present Absent Absent
Wing sensilla Medium Fewest Most

Reference: Mark L. Winston, The Biology of the Honey Bee, p. 40