Defense
Guard bees attack an invading wasp.
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Bees have a much greater armory of defenses against attacks
than simply their stingers. For external threats, the bees
rely, first and foremost, on their protective nest. Guard bees
patrolling the single, tight entrance quickly attack
intruders, and when necessary, will join a massive
counterattack synchronized by the release of alarm pheromones.
For internal threats, bees have a bevy of defenses as well.
When first building the hive, they varnish the interior walls
with floral herbicides and fungicides. They bear a
colony-specific odor that helps them distinguish between
colony members and intruders. The honey they produce has
biocidal properties that inhibit the microbial spoilage of
this precious resource. And so-called "undertaker" bees are so
assiduous about removing the carcasses of their dead fellows
that, while a nest will suffer about 100 deaths of its members
every day, it rarely will contain more than one or two dead
adults at any one time.
Guard bees patrol the entrance to a hive.
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Photos: ©1998 ORF.
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