[Bcrazy]

I have asked a number of beekeepers if they could tell me does a honey bee have one or more hearts. I have had various replys.

So my question is the honey bee has an aorta and 5 ostia for blood circulation. So does the bee have one or five hearts?

Regards;

 

[dogsoldier13]

I have asked a number of beekeepers if they could tell me does a honey bee have one or more hearts. I have had various replys.

So my question is the honey bee has an aorta and 5 ostia for blood circulation. So does the bee have one or five hearts?

Regards;

i dont know about the hearts,but i think the drones have 3 testicles,at least thats the way mine are

 

[Bcrazy]

Hi dogsoldier13.

If that is the case then you have unique drones, and we could do with some of them over the pond as it has been found that the ammount of seamen that a drone produces is less than it used to bee.

I did a talk on the reproductive organs of the queen and drone, I'll have to lok it up.

With regard to the heart some say that each ostia acts indipendantly from each other so therefore each is a seperate heart in its own right. Others say that the aorta is the whole heart. Don't think we'll ever know one way or the other.

Do you carry out any dissection work?

Regards;

 

[Charles]

With regard to the heart some say that each ostia acts indipendantly from each other so therefore each is a seperate heart in its own right. Others say that the aorta is the whole heart. Don't think we'll ever know one way or the other.

Agreed, theoretically if one ostia was defective the bee would continue to live (maybe) means to me that there are 5 hearts. But like you said it's based on how you choose to view it...

 

[dogsoldier13]

Hi dogsoldier13.

If that is the case then you have unique drones, and we could do with some of them over the pond as it has been found that the ammount of seamen that a drone produces is less than it used to bee.

I did a talk on the reproductive organs of the queen and drone, I'll have to lok it up.

With regard to the heart some say that each ostia acts indipendantly from each other so therefore each is a seperate heart in its own right. Others say that the aorta is the whole heart. Don't think we'll ever know one way or the other.

Do you carry out any dissection work?

Regards;

no i dont do any dissections,not yet anyway,but i find your posts informative and interesting, i for one appreciate the time you spend on here and with your bees,i have a lot to learn,so keep posting

 

[Iddee]

I emailed your question to Dr. Tarpy at the University of North Carolina, our local bee expert.

Here is his answer:

An interesting question, no doubt. In a way, the answer 0, 1, or 4 are all correct. Because of the open circulatory system, an adult bee doesn't have a heart per se but rather a pumping tube that moves hemolymph forward (zero). But, that pumping tube or aorta is often (and correctly) referred to as a heart (one). Then again, the aorta has four separate linear chambers that help propel the hemolymph directionally (four). If forced to chose, I would probably say one heart, but as long as the answer is qualified, I would accept any of the above.

 

[Bcrazy]

Thank yo BC for forwarding my question to Dr. Tarpy, and thank you Dr. Tarpy for your reply.

At last I have had an answer to my question from an eminant person in the bee world. So the answer is simple, you take your pick and as long as its qualified then your right.
Please don't think this is being pernickerty but I think you'll find there are five (5) ostia according to Snodgrass.

Thank you all for your input as I now have an answer.

Regards;