According to experts, sharks (or sharks, as they are also called) have been around for more than 450 million years. There are many curious and interesting facts about sharks, such as that the whale shark is the largest fish in the ocean, that sharks replace their teeth throughout their lives or that they have very strange sleeping habits.
If you like animals or you are simply a very curious person, do not miss the following article, because below we explain how sharks sleep and we reveal everything you need to know about this fish.
How sharks sleep
The truth is that, in reality, sharks do not sleep, at least not as we understand the being’s human. What sharks do is rest, so that only part of their brain is unconscious when they perform such an action. In fact, and closely linked to this, we must mention that most species of shark’s rest moving, because sharks have to be in constant movement to be able to breathe.
On the other hand, there are species of sharks such as the nurse and catfish (remember that there are approximately 465 species of shark) that can stay still and continue breathing, something that is due to their ability to absorb water by mouth pumping. But this does not mean that they can sleep soundly as we humans do, because they need a certain degree of consciousness to be able to breathe.
In turn, it should be noted that the white shark has been seen sleeping or resting in a relaxed and calm way, but without stopping moving and with its eyes open. This is because the white shark, also called the “king of sharks” or the “great shark” has certain special characteristics:
On the one hand, this shark has a highly developed sense of smell and is able to detect blood residues and other elements several kilometers away, so you should always be vigilant.
The same goes for movement, as the king of sharks can perceive any movement in the water several meters away.
In addition, we are talking about a fish with very sharp scales that allow it to move extraordinarily quickly through the water. In fact, it can reach up to 50 km per hour when it comes time to hunt.
Why sharks sleep swimming
Most sharks, when resting, must keep moving. But why do they take these rest periods in constant motion? The easiest explanation is that sharks do not possess a swim bladder like many other fish, a buoyant organ that allows them not to sink.
In addition, in order to breathe, sharks must have their mouths open and thus absorb the necessary oxygen that passes through their whites. These gills only absorb oxygen when the shark is in motion, something that also explains why these fish sleep swimming.
On the other hand, it is worth mentioning that there are species of shark that have spiracles. These are openings behind each eye that cause water to move through the shark’s gills, allowing the fish in question to rest and not move on the ocean floor.
Why sharks sleep with their eyes open
To begin with, you should know that there are sharks that do not even have eyelids, because the sea water is responsible for washing their eyes at all times. However, there are sharks that have a tans lucid membrane (or Nictitating membrane) that allows them to keep their sight protected when swimming at high speed, when they attack or when they are attacked.
However, we can also say that if sharks sleep with their eyes open it is because, remember, they are not really asleep, but a part of their brain is still conscious to continue with the cycle of taking air and resting at the same time.
Surely you have ever come across an animal at night and when a little of the moonlight, or a lighthouse or flashlight, has reached it you have seen that its eyes shone a lot. This is what makes some animals can have nightlife, because thanks to that they can see perfectly when for others, on the other hand, there is too little light to get a glimpse of something. But exactly how can nocturnal animals see in the dark? What is that glow? If you ask yourself these questions and you are curious, continue reading this article in which we give you all the answers.
How some animals can see in the dark
Nocturnal animals can see in the dark because they have a reflective surface called the tapetum lucidum, which is a layer of tissue located on the retina, although in some species it is behind it. This tissue developed to see well in the dark is what allows certain animals to do night or twilight life, since in some species it is more developed than in others, while in others, diurnal animals, it is practically non-existent or does not exist.
Thanks to this part of the eyes, these living beings can see shapes and colors that diurnal animals, like us, cannot see in dark or very low light conditions. In fact, diurnal animals can become a little oriented in the dark after taking a while in it, since the eyes get used to it a little, but only when a minimum of light arrives, for example in the twilight time and in the middle of the night if the moonlight is bright enough.
Thus, many animal species have enough for the moon to shine a little to be able to see perfectly, others need to wait for twilight, when the sun rises or sets, to be able to see well. But, in addition, nocturnal animals can orient themselves in the dark not only thanks to their more developed sight for it, but also because they have an excellent sense of smell and hearing. Also, some species not only have these senses much more developed, but also have adaptations such as echolocation and thermoreceptors to orient themselves in space and find food. Echolocation allows orientation thanks to vibrations and thermoregulation thanks to sensitivity to different temperatures.
Nocturnal animals take advantage of the hours of daylight to regain strength, sleeping and resting, but also their eyesight is not so good in this part of the day, since the light is excessive for them. On the other hand, animals that are crepuscular or that have both nocturnal and diurnal habits, can adapt to wandering during the day and moving or looking for food, especially during the mating season.
Why the eyes of nocturnal animal’s shine
The eyes of some animals, totally nocturnal or with both nocturnal and diurnal activity, shine precisely because of the part of the eye that we have commented that allows them to see better in the dark. The tapetum lucidum is the part of the eye that allows nocturnal animals to see well at night and in doing so produces an intense glow in the eyes.
The reason is because this tissue contains guanine and more rods, the light-sensitive eye cells, and both allow this layer of the eye to collect more light from the environment and reflect it, illuminating the sight of these animals.
List of nocturnal and semi-nocturnal animals
Now that you know how nocturnal animals can see at night and other details, here’s a list of nocturnal and partially nocturnal or crepuscular animals:
Nocturnal animals
Bat
Aye-aye
Loris
Malay tarsier
Galago de Rondo
Owl
Owl
Pygmy owl
Tawny owl
Skunk or skunk
Red fox
Ring-tailed lemur
Boa of Tumbes
Firefly
Clouded leopard
Sand cat
Hedgehog
Opossum
Armadillo
Genet
Hamster
Semi-nocturnal animals
This is known as the animals that can have activity both day and night, according to their needs at the time of year in which they are. For example, wolves are mainly nocturnal, but in the winter months they can be seen moving and hunting during some hours of the day. There are also crepuscular animals, that is, they have the greatest activity during twilight and take advantage of the lack of clarity when the sun begins to rise and when it begins to set. Here are some examples of these types of animals:
Wolf
Dog
Cat
Cheetah
Raccoon
Deer
Red kangaroo
Rat
Koala
Hippopotamus
Snake
Gecko
In addition to knowing the names, throughout the article you can find several images of nocturnal animals and even how their eyes shine to be able to see perfectly in the darkness of the night.
If you enjoyed learning how nocturnal animals can see in the dark, you may also be interested in learning about 8 animals that camouflage themselves to survive and how they do it.
The mosquito is one of the most well-known and frequent insects in our environment. In fact, it is one of the animals that has the most contact with humans, and it is almost impossible to find someone who has not suffered the bite of a tiger mosquito or any mosquito bite. One of those that has been talked about more lately for its expansion to other countries in what was not before is the tiger mosquito. These insects are capable of transmitting diseases such as malaria, dengue or yellow fever and their presence varies depending on the area in which we are. Mosquitoes have a life cycle that is divided into four phases of development: egg, larva, pupa and adult. If you’ve ever wondered how long a mosquito lives, in this article we answer you.
Mosquitoes
Insects form the most varied group of organisms of all ecosystems on the planet, except for the sea. Its extensive presence is due to its rapid colonization of different habitats, its ability to adapt and its short life cycle. Currently about 2 million species of insects are known and it is estimated that there are about 10 million.
Mosquitoes, also known as mosquitoes, have 2500 species in the world and are transmitters of diseases because females need the protein found in the blood to lay eggs.
What is the life cycle of a mosquito
Mosquitoes have a short lifespan that is usually between 10 and 30 days. The life expectancy of these insects depends on other factors such as humidity, feeding, sex, time of year and species. In general, females have a longer life than male mosquitoes, since their life cycle is longer when having to lay eggs.
Egg
The female mosquito lays eggs one by one or in groups of 50 to 200, whose groupings are known as ships because of their resemblance to small ships. This shape gives them the ability to float on water. Other species lay their eggs in the ground remaining dormant until the soil is flooded.
The larva
The egg hatches in 24-48 hours after the female mosquito deposits them. The larva is always aquatic and completes its evolution increasing from 1mm to 12mm, although it varies according to the species. Also, the duration of this phase varies depending on the temperature. The larvae can move when performing contractions and feed by filtering organic matter, such as algae.
The pupa
At the end of the larval stage, the mosquito begins its transformation that allows it to move from water to are, thanks to the development of its system. This stage lasts between 2 and 3 days and does not require feeding. Mosquito pupae remain on the surface of the water and can be submerged by contractions.
Adult mosquito
It is the mosquito as we know it. In its adult phase it leaves the water and has the ability to fly. Both males and females feed on the nectar of flowers, and contrary to what many people may think, they do not ingest the blood to feed. The female mosquito is the only one that ingests blood and does so to obtain a protein necessary for the maturation of eggs.
Before the hibernation period, females feed on as much nectar as possible to be able to feed during this process. During the hibernation period, the female takes refuge in protected places, while the males die.
And if you also want to know how much flies live, do not miss this article.
The hippocampus or seahorse is one of the most curious animals that exist. It is a fish and yet it has no scales; the head and neck are arched like those of the horse; the mouth is tubular; The chest is like that of the pigeon and the tail is prehensile like that of certain monkeys. In addition, it can change color like the chameleon and, like those of this reptile, its eyes anywhere. This extraordinary creature, which seems rather the fruit of fantasy, the ancient Greeks called it hippocampus, which means: stooped horse.
The hippocampus or seahorse is one of the most curious animals that exist. It is a fish and yet it has no scales; the head and neck are arched like those of the horse; the mouth is tubular; The chest is like that of the pigeon and the tail is prehensile like that of certain monkeys. In addition, it can change color like the chameleon and, like those of this reptile, its eyes anywhere. This extraordinary creature, which seems rather the fruit of fantasy, the ancient Greeks called it hippocampus, which means: stooped horse.
How the seahorse swims
Because of its rigid envelope, the seahorse can swim horizontally, traversing the water as the vast majority of fish do. That is why it swims upright and is propelled by means of a tiny dorsal fin, in the form of a fan. In addition, it floats thanks to its swim bladder. If some bubbles escape, it descends and stays deep until enough gas is produced to be able to rise back close to the surface. The pectoral fin and tail movements allow it to make rapid vertical movements.
Function of the queue
The seahorse’s tail is prehensile and usually rolls forward. With it attaches itself to algae or other marine formations when it stops to explore the surroundings in search of its prey.
Where the seahorse lives
This curious creature is just a whim of nature. Because of its outer envelope, it is not edible. However, in ancient times great virtues were attributed to it: thus, for example, it acted as an antidote, if prepared with wine, it produced a strong poison. In the Middle Ages it was advised to combat fever. Today, when chemicals and pharmaceuticals have completely replaced it, the seahorse only serves to show one of the virtues that nature has endowed: the way in which parents take care of their children with dedication.
How the seahorse cares for its young
During the spring there is a curious nuptial march among the seahorses, which lasts one or two days. During it, the female deposits the eggs in a kind of bag that the male has in his belly. For 45 days, it is responsible for incubating the eggs, then the young are born. Then something curious is observed, the compulsive movements of the male to throw the 50 or 60 young out of his sac.
If you want to read similar articles to How is the seahorse, we recommend that you enter our category of The Animal World.
The sense of sight is perhaps the most important for animals. It allows them to see the world around them, discover their food, warn of danger. But we cannot think that all living beings on the planet see the same. Insects have a different view than us, then we explain how it is. Insects have two types of eyes: simple and compound.
How are the eyes of insects
The vast majority of insects have two types of eyes: the simple or ocelli and the compound or faceted. The simple eyes are arranged in the center of the forehead and are usually two or three. Compound eyes, as the name implies, are composed of small eyes in the form of an elongated tube. The outer surface of each of them, has a face or facet in the form of a hexagon, similar to the carving of a brilliant and, inside, a lens or crystalline and the retina or membrane to collect the luminous impressions. The whole forms the cornea or outer transparent membrane, which is convex, bulging and constitutes the compound eye. The number of tubes that make up the compound eye is variable: certain ants have 9 and the fly 400 and the dragonfly 28,000.
How insects see
As each tube has a lens, the light that penetrates through them records on the retina a part of the object that the insect is looking at. To see the total, a “mosaic” image is formed, that is, fragmented, and by is different from the human one, which is continuous. In addition, insects’ eyes are adapted to their environment, and generally grasp what is moving better than what is at rest.
Insects see colors
Naturalists have conducted many studies to find out if insects distinguish the color of flowers and other objects, the results are amazing. Thus, today it is known that the bee does not distinguish the red color well, and when they approach flowers of this color, they do so because they reflect blue light, which insects can capture. They are also sensitive to ultraviolet rays, which we cannot perceive.
If you want to read similar articles to How insects see, we recommend that you enter our category of The Animal World.
Giraffes are the tallest mammals and herbivores in the world, reaching a height of up to 6 meters. Its scientific name is Giraffa camelopardalis. They are native to the African continent and as a curious fact, they are one of the few animals on the planet that face lions, for their survival. They are also high-speed animals, reaching 50 km per hour when stamped.
Do you find this special animal interesting? Do you know how the giraffe behaves when it sleeps?
How giraffes sleep – the answer
Over many years scientific studies have been conducted on various groups of giraffes in Africa, in fact they have been carried out for more than a century. Many of them determined that these interesting animals sleep little, and they do so in periods of about 10 minutes, completing a total of 2 to 4 hours a day. Generally, giraffes sleep standing up, with the exception of giraffes that are very weak or sick and the youngest in the group, as well as when they feel really safe and calm.
Giraffe pups sleep lying with their heads resting on their butts. Along its neck and the space between its vertebrae, the giraffe can bend its neck in curious ways, allowing it to sleep with its neck fully bent and resting on its thighs, on its butt or on the ground.
Why giraffes sleep standing up
Giraffes sleep standing up because of the possible presence of predators, so that they are not caught off guard and, in this way, they have the opportunity to flee or face the threat more easily than if they were lying on the ground.
However, as we have already indicated, they also sleep lying down or sitting, but when they do, they always have one eye open and take glances from time to time, this being a way to remain alert in case there is an attack from their predators.
Curiosities of the giraffe
In giraffes, we might think that because of their large size they should not sleep standing up, as it would generate physical fatigue. However, the locking system of their joints allows them to minimize the effort that the muscles must make to sleep standing or standing. Below we have other curious facts about giraffes:
They sleep between 2 hours and 4 hours a day, with sleep periods of between 10 to 15 minutes.
This sleeping animal usually sleeps with one eye open.
The tongue of giraffes reaches 50 cm in length and they are insensitive to the spines that contain the leaves and branches with which they feed.
They have a very long and flexible neck, due to their seven vertebrae.
Males are taller and heavier than females.
They usually walk in packs, but usually males go with other males and only look for females to mate.
Giraffes are each and every one totally unique, that is, none is identical to another, since their spots on the skin represent what fingerprints would be in humans.
In general, they are very docile.
They use their legs and neck as combat weapons.
The males dispute the territory and the order of mating by beating each other with their long necks.
They drink little water and when they do, they must bend the front legs or open them wide.
The sexual maturity of the giraffe is reached from the age of 6.
The gestation period of giraffes is 15 months and they have only one offspring per birth. The female stands up and the calf falls to the ground from about two and a half meters, although, of course, they are prepared for it.
They are animals that have 4 stomachs and are in the class of ruminant animals.
Other animals that sleep standing up
In general, animals that sleep standing up are large, and those that would have a hard time standing up from where they are lying down when fleeing an attack. This type of sleep experienced by animals that sleep standing up is not a deep sleep, but rather a type of slow-wave sleep.
Large mammals have a locking system on their legs at the level of the joints. In fact, they possess strong ligaments and tendons that allow you to relieve the weight of the muscles. They use the technique of distributing the weight leaving a free leg resting on the hoof or helmet.
Among the mammals that sleep standing we have:
Moose.
Bison.
Buffalo.
Donkeys.
Horses.
Deer.
Elephants.
Giraffes.
Wildebeest.
Reindeer.
Rhinos.
Cows.
Birds can sleep standing and on one leg. This is due to a flexor tendon that when the claw rests on a branch, closes it fixedly, although there are also those who sleep like this on the ground. Among these animals we can mention the following:
Canaries.
Storks.
Flamingos.
Hens.
Seagulls.
Pigeons.
Ducks.
Turtledoves.
If you like this type of curiosities in the animal world, we recommend these other oneHOWTO articles in which you can discover how other animals sleep:
How rabbits sleep
How whales and dolphin’s sleep.
How sharks sleep.
If you want to read similar articles to How giraffes sleep, we recommend that you enter our category of The Animal World.
Because of its itinerant nature, no circus, even with the best intentions, can offer wild animals’ conditions, neither physical nor social, that guarantee them a minimum of well-being. In this post we compare the natural behavior of animals with their conditions in circuses exposing the health and psychological problems they suffer in these facilities.
Reptiles
Circus performances with reptiles cause anxiety to these animals. Circuses cannot offer these delicate animals’ possibilities to behave according to their natural instincts. Reptiles react very sensitively to all kinds of vibrations and temperature changes and are therefore totally unsuitable for frequent transport.
Baboons
In the Wild: Baboons of species normally kept in circuses live in social groups of 20 to 200 individuals. These primates are distributed over great distances and their territory can cover up to 30 km. Common problems: Baboons can carry STLV, a retrovirus potentially transmissible to humans. The disease caused in non-human primates by this virus is quite severe. Transmission of the virus to humans is possible (mainly, but not only, by bites and scratches), but the real zoonotic potential of this disease is not yet quantifiable. Given the similarity of the STLV virus to the human HTLV virus (human T lymphotropic virus) responsible for a malignant and fatal lymphoma, infected animals must be handled with extreme care and attention.
Rhinos
In the wild: Rhinos feed on more than 30 different varieties of grasses as well as aquatic plants and tree twigs. They are solitary animals although sometimes they live in small groups and cover territories of about 20 km2. Water is vital for these animals. They usually sharpen their horns as well as wallow in the mud or take sand baths. In the circus: All species of rhinoceros are in serious danger of extinction, for this reason alone their possession in circuses is absolutely unacceptable. Moreover, due to their social and biological characteristics (rhinos are solitary animals that inhabit large territories) it is impossible for a circus to keep these animals appropriately to their individual needs.
Seals and Sea Lions
In the wild – these animals are specialized, gregarious aquatic predators and some species live in large groups. They feed on a variety of fish, squid, crustaceans and starfish; some also eat penguins. All species are very physically active and very fast swimmers. California seals dive for 15 minutes at depths of 100m. Although some species are sedentary, others change habitat according to the season. All have a very marked game and exploration behavior. In circuses: these animals usually live in isolation or in pairs and in very small spaces with limited access to water.
Camels, Dromedaries, Vicuñas and Lamas
In the wild: Dromedaries live in permanent communities and in desert or semi-desert areas. Like camels, they live up to 40 years and adapted to life in warm areas and can travel up to 200 km a day, although the average is 30-40 km. The lamas live in meadows and shrub areas between 2,300 and 4,000 m high. In circuses: these animals should have access to move freely around an outdoor space of 300 m2 (plus an additional 50m2 per additional animal) for at least 8 hours a day. They should be able to shelter from the wind and cold, the ground should be dirt or sand and branches should be offered to occupy their interest. These animals should not be tethered and should be housed at least in pairs.
Zebras
In the wild: Zebras are social animals, which, even in large herds, maintain small groups whose family ties are highly durable. Its territories are between 30 and 600 km2. Their defense reaction is flight and when they are cornered, the legs. In circuses: They are often observed housed in small blocks or tied or alone. They can be observed performing stereotyped rocking movements. They should have access to an outdoor area of a minimum of 150 m2 (plus 25m2 per additional animal) for at least 8 hours a day. They should have a dirt or sand floor for dust baths and have branches as environmental enrichment. Keep them tethered and offer visual barriers should be avoided
Bears
In the wild, these animals are agile climbers and spend most of their time alone and on the move in search of food. The territory of a female is between 3 and 40 km2. In Circuses: In captivity, bears often show stereotyped behaviors, especially when they live in small, empty enclosures or when they spend nights indoors. They live in inhospitable conditions with no swimming pools, structures for climbing, researching and playing, or natural substrate for digging. In captivity, these animals need at least roofless enclosures, visual barriers and enrichment in the way they offer food.
Lions
In the wild: They are highly social animals that live in groups of between 2 and 20 individuals. They are very gregarious animals and are active at night, while during the day they rest or interact with others. Before giving birth, the lionesses are separated from the group for a few weeks. They live in territories between 26 and 226 km2. In circuses: Along with tigers, and other carnivores with large territories, lions are the animals that show more levels of stress and psychological problems in captivity. The close presence of other species, such as zebras, horses, camels and goats, species that would be their prey, is also stressful for them. Common problems: Like other big cats, these carnivores in captivity exhibit stereotypical, self-destructive, and abnormal behaviors. They usually suffer from fibrous osteodystrophy due to mineral imbalances in the diet and gastroenteritis, among others due to stress due to disturbances such as traffic noise, the public or music.
If you want to read similar articles to How circus animals live, we recommend that you enter our category of The Animal World.
Councils
From Infocircos, we recommend that you never go to a circus that uses animals. There are many other shows to have fun without anyone having to suffer.
Fish, like mammals and other animals that populate the earth, need oxygen to survive and carry out all their activities. To swim, reproduce, eat, etc., they need large inputs of energy and oxygen that they cannot get through the air.
Just as we cannot breathe in the water without drowning, fish, if they are out of the water long enough, also die. So, how do fish breathe? Where do they get the oxygen?, in UnComo.com we are going to solve it, explaining how fish and other aquatic animals have developed a complex system that allows them to obtain the oxygen contributions necessary to live, even if they are underwater.
How fish breathe
Fish breathe through complex organs called gills, which in most species are located on both sides of the head, under a mobile membrane that protects them and is called the operculum.
Since oxygen dissolves 30 to 40 times worse in water than in air, fish and other aquatic animals have been forced to evolve so that they can live in water and get the oxygen they need.
In most fish this system is the gills, which through the so-called countercurrent exchange, manage to transfer oxygen from the water to their blood, for this they swallow water through the mouth, forcing it to leave through the gills and there, they have a dense network of blood vessels and blood flow that circulates in the opposite direction to the water. In this way it can be ensured that it will optimize this exchange to the maximum, in fact, the fish are left with up to 85% of the oxygen contained in the water they filter.
The gills of fish
How do they get oxygen out of the water? Although we have already explained a little the functioning of the gills, perhaps it is a bit complicated to understand the whole process.
In modern bony fish, scientifically called teleosts and which are the majority today, the mouth and its cavity communicates with openings on the side of the pharynx, which are called gill slits, from which the gills develop. These are protected by the opercula, the solid structures located on each side of the head, the typical slits on the sides so characteristic of fish.
Between the gill slits pass curved structures called gill arches, they are two rows of filaments that come together forming a V. From these filaments are born some folds or secondary sheets, between 10 and 40 each mm, formed by tissue and a large number of blood vessels.
In this way, when the fish opens its mouth, the water full of oxygen enters through it, it passes through this entire structure and exits through the operculum, but in between, it circulates in the opposite direction through the sheets, which trap all the oxygen they can.
Other methods of respiration in fish
By lungs
There are at least 400 species of teleosts that use air to breathe, the vast majority freshwater fish, although almost all also retain gills and use each system at will.
Lung breathing is used when the oxygen level of the water falls, such as when the temperature rises, since the higher the temperature, the greater the need for oxygen.
However, there are also fish that only breathe through lungs, an example of this is the Lepidosiren, a South American species that has lungs with two lobes and very simple gills, so they need to breathe air if they do not want to die.
By the skin
Most fish, when they are born and have not yet developed respiratory organs, take oxygen through the skin, although as the animal grows and develops the gills breathing through the skin becomes more residual. However, in some adult fish, respiration through the skin can account for up to 20% of the total oxygen supply.
If you want to read similar articles to How Fish Breathe, we recommend that you enter our category of The Animal World.
Bees are social insects that live in large groups of up to thousands. Most of their lives they work to ensure the survival of the hive. Each of the bees has a specific role within the honeycomb or hive, one of them is the queen and is responsible for procreating the following generations. The others are divided between worker bees and drones. The workers are those who are responsible for feeding the washing, building or repairing the honeycomb and collecting nectar and pollen from flowers to create honey, royal jelly, wax and propolis.
Do you know how bees make honey? Do you know what bees eat? Do you know what are the best-known types of natural honey in the world? In we answer these and other questions about the world of bees and the products they produce.
How bees make honey
Honey is one of the most demanded natural foods on the planet. Humans and other living things, such as bears and badgers, feed on the honey produced by bees.
Honey also contains properties that allow it to remain stored for years. Thus, their creators can stay safe, thanks to their reserves, while winter forces them to stay inside the hive or summer dries the flowers from which they extract nectar and pollen. In we will show you how bees make honey:
The whole process begins with the search by worker bees for candidate flowers that provide quality pollen and nectar.
Once the bees find flowers with nectar, they proceed to extract it using their long tongue and storing it in the velarium crop.
Then the bees already loaded with nectar, return to the hive.
Once there, they proceed to regurgitate the substance, already processed by special digestive enzymes. They pass it on to other worker bees to process it further, through enzymatic digestions until it is ready for final storage.
Subsequently, and when the nectar has gone through several cycles of chewing and regurgitation, the last bee deposits the substance in the cells of the wax honeycombs.
To make sure to give it the final finish, another group of worker bees dehydrate the honey. They achieve this by fanning their wings on the honeycombs to eliminate up to 80% of the moisture in the substance.
Finally, the bees taste the final product and if it has achieved the right texture and flavor, they seal the cell with wax generated from a gland they have in their abdomen.
What bees produce
Did you know that honey is bee vomit? and is that these adorable insects take the nectar of the flowers and process it in their bodies to turn it into that sweet product so taken around the world. Did you know that bees are also capable of creating other products such as wax, propolis, royal jelly and pollen? In we talk about what bees produce exactly:
Honey
Basically, honey is the main food of bees, and as already mentioned before, it is a substance pre-digested by bees and a derivative of the nectar of flowers. This sweet-tasting food is used by bees in difficult times for them, such as winter and extreme summer, however, it is also consumed in smaller quantities the rest of the seasons and throughout their lives, since they are larvae until their maturity.
Honey is rich in free amino acids and proteins, in addition to lipids and carbohydrates. It also has a content of 25% sugars and 4% fiber per 100 g of honey. This food is also a complete source of vitamins such as Thiamine, Nicotinamide, Pyridoxine, Folic Acid, Vitamin D and Carotene.
Honey is used by humans as food, medicine and to create cosmetics and bath items. It also has an important load of amino acids such as aspartic, glutamic, cystine, leucine and valine. In turn, it has mineral salts such as calcium, chlorine, magnesium and potassium.
Wax
Secreted by the wax glands that have the bottoms in their abdomen, the wax, once solidified in the bags located under the glands, is processed in the mouths of the bees to subsequently convert it into those hexagonal cells that, when joined together form the honeycomb. Beeswax is used by people for cosmetics, making candles and brighteners.
In this other article we explain everything about beeswax, its properties, uses and where to buy it.
Bee pollen
Bee pollen serves as a food source for bees and is transported by bees on their legs to the hive to be stored. Pollen is usually high in health properties and is used by humans for allergy remedies.
This compound, in high demand in Europe and Asia, which expels the flowers contains up to 30% protein, 30% carbohydrates and fats, in addition to other special properties of each variety of pollen, which make it ideal to supply deficiencies in nutrition.
Propolis
Propolis are resinous substances that bees extract from trees. These substances are used by bees to reinforce the honeycomb and make repairs in areas that have been battered by weather or animals. In turn, propolis are used by bees as natural antibiotics and also to prevent the proliferation of fungi in the honeycomb and in their bodies.
The 2 specific uses that bees give to propolis are:
As a building material for the creation of honeycombs, along with wax, and the modification of the entrances of the hives. On the other hand, it also serves to waterproof the hexagonal cells, also called alveoli, where the queen bee will lay eggs for the next generation of workers.
In turn, the resin of propolis is essential to prevent the spread of diseases within the hive, as indicated above. This is due to its antibiotic properties. It is also used by bees to literally embalm small animals that may sneak into the hive and die there from bee stings.
Royal jelly
Royal jelly is the only food that the queen bee consumes from its stage as a larva to maturity. This fluid is also given to bee larvae in general, once they become adults and if they are not queens, they become workers of the hive and will feed on honey and pollen for the rest of their lives.
Royal jelly is a sticky mixture of two types of secretions that worker bees produce. This combination is loaded with growth hormones, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and sugars, enough for larvae and queen bees to develop healthy.
What bees eat
The diet of bees is not very varied, however, the few foods they consume are as necessary for them, as they are for the rest of life on the planet. In fact, they are considered the most important animal in the world, although sadly today bees are in danger of extinction. A bee hive in its natural habitat will feed on 4 unique elements:
Honey manufactured inside the honeycomb.
Pollen and nectar extracted from flowers.
Water.
Honey is one of the main foods of bees, but this is consumed only in times where leaving the honeycomb is very dangerous, such as in winter or extreme summer. On the other hand, nectar and pollen from flowers is their usual diet, at least for worker bees that must go out to look for them. The bees that stay inside the hive performing other functions eat from the stored honey and pollen that their sisters bring.
For its part, there is a special food exclusively for the larvae of bees and the queen bee of the hive, royal jelly. This food is a sticky substance secreted by worker bees with which they feed the larvae to accelerate their growth. It is also the only thing that the queen bee will eat for the rest of her life.
Types of honey
Honey is rich in healing properties, not for nothing is used for many types of home remedies. On the other hand, you have to know that all honey is not the same, and there are different types of it according to the pollen that bees take. That’s because the nectar of each flower is unique and has different properties. Therefore, in we present some of the best-known varieties of honey, below:
Heather honey
Heather honey, like any other type of natural honey, begins its process in the thorax of bees. After these they release the nectar from the heather flowers. Its mahogany color is distinguishable by its dark hue, and its flavor tends to be slightly bitter. This variety of honey is used by humans to treat various diseases such as cystitis, fluid retention and kidney stones. In turn, others use it to control heart problems such as arrhythmias, angina pectoris and even heart attacks.
Thyme honey
Thyme honey is a monofloral variety, that is, it is composed of a single type of nectar. Its reddish or dark amber color and intense flavor distinguish it. This type of honey is used to treat conditions of the respiratory system, such as asthma, pharyngitis, cough, among others. On the other hand, it is also used to regulate blood pressure levels and digestive problems.
Holm oak honey
Holm oak honey is produced by the nectar that the fruits give off, which is released by the bees for later preparation. To distinguish this variety of honey it is necessary to pay attention to its dark almost black color and its low-sugar malt flavor. Holm oak honey is indicated by naturists to combat anemia thanks to its rich iron content. For its part, it is also applied for respiratory conditions such as asthma and bronchitis.
Rosemary honey
Rosemary is another plant that bees take advantage of for the production of honey. These extract the nectar of their flowers and as a result obtain a thick honey light amber color and sweet flavor with the striking aroma of rosemary. This variety of honey is used to combat indigestion and heaviness. In addition, its properties help cleanse the liver and heal stomach ulcers. In this other post we show you more about the properties of rosemary honey.
Now that you know how bees make honey, we encourage you to know this other article in which you will learn how to know if honey is pure.
One of the characteristics of the animal kingdom is its ability to reproduce. Like birth, growth and death, reproduction is part of their life cycle. Not all reproduce in the same way, according to their characteristics and their environment, therefore, in this article we explain how animals reproduce detailing the types of reproductions and the conditions necessary for them to occur.
Steps to follow:
We will start talking about sexual reproductions, that is, that type of reproduction in which a female is required to be fertilized by the male’s sperm in order to become pregnant. Within this type of reproduction, there are animals that practice internal fertilization (as would be, for example, in the case of people) or external fertilization; Here we tell you the differences:
Internal fertilization: the sperm fertilizes the egg when the male is inside the female’s body. Mammals, birds, insects and reptiles are the ones that carry out this type of fertilization; Just like humans. The operation of this process consists of the male putting sperm inside the egg to cause the gestation of the embryo.
External fertilization: this occurs when the entry of the sperm into the egg takes place outside the body of the female; This occurs especially in marine animals such as fish and amphibians. The procedure is that the female puts different eggs in the water and it is the male who spreads his sperm on them until they are fertilized.
Animals that practice sexual reproduction can be differentiated according to whether they are viviparous animals or oviparous animals; This depends on the way in which they have to gestate the embryo since there are some who do it internally, that is, within the mother’s belly the fetus develops (as in the case of people) and others that the development is done externally, in eggs.
Here are the differences:
Viviparous animals: those who give birth to their young via are what are known as viviparous. They are the animals that form the embryo inside the mother’s body and the fetus is fed by the umbilical cord that provides the food that the female takes. These animals are mammals that are the ones that have their young with the natural process of childbirth and the duration of pregnancy as well as the number of offspring can be completely variable.
Oviparous animals: apart from mammals, most animals practice a gestation external to the mother’s body, the offspring develops inside an egg containing the embryo and different layers that protect the offspring. When animals break the shell is when we can talk about the “birth” of these animals; As soon as they leave, it may happen that they are independent enough to go live on their own without the help of the mother (for example, it is the case of fish or reptiles) or, on the contrary, they need the care of their mother until they become a little larger (as is the case of birds).
Depending on how the young leave their respective places of fertilization (the mother’s belly or eggs) the animals can also be divided into different types according to their development is direct or indirect. This simply refers to whether or not animals resemble their adult form, that is, whether when they are born, they appear the same as their mothers.
Direct development: This is when newborns resemble their parents as soon as they are born; That is, it is noted that they are the same animal but, simply, that they are smaller. This is the case of humans, mammals and some birds.
Indirect development: this occurs when the offspring that appears is very different in appearance from its mother. This is the case, for example, of frogs that when they are born are tadpoles, something like small fish and that, later, become frogs.
Asexual reproduction is the one that does not need two members of the same species but an animal can bring living beings into the world without being fertilized by someone external. The main characteristic of this type of reproduction is that the genetics are not modified because there are not two channels but only one. There are several types of asexual reproductions:
Bipartition: they are unicellular beings that split in two to create a new living being.
Budding: in a living being a lump appears spontaneously that causes a new being to appear. This is the case, for example, of sea sponges.
Fragmentation: from a fragment of a living being another is created; For example, the arm of a starfish can produce the appearance of a new star.
Within asexual reproduction there are two phenomena that take place on Earth and that should be mentioned in a separate case because they are different modes of animal reproduction in which they do not need a second member to be able to have offspring:
Hermaphroditism: this type of animal contains in itself the two sexes, the female and the male, so they alone can generate an embryo without the need for any other member. This is the case, for example, of snails.
Parthenogenesis: It consists of an embryo developing from a part of the body without the need for it to be fertilized. This type of reproduction occurs mainly in arthropods (ants, spiders, etc.) although they also take place in fish or reptiles. The offspring they have is exactly the same as their genetic component because they do not have the intervention of any other organism.
If you want to read similar articles to How animals reproduce, we recommend that you enter our category of The Animal World.
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