![]() ![]() While all larvae feast on a diet of royal jelly for the first few days of their lives, worker bee larvae eventually switch to a diet of honey, pollen, and bee bread. ![]() Nurse bees feed these eggs royal jelly throughout their development. When it’s time to raise a new queen, worker bees will choose several fertilized eggs to become potential new queens and house them in unique dome-shaped wax cups called queen cups. Raising a new queen bee is one of the most important tasks a honey bee colony can undertake. Whatever the reason, a hive can’t survive long without its queen. The colony might also outgrow its hive, in which case the colony splits in half, and a new queen takes over half the population. The old queen might die unexpectedly or lay fewer eggs due to old age. The Birth of a MonarchĪ queen honey bee’s life starts when the hive needs a new queen. If you’re wondering what honey bee queens do and their role in the hive, learn more with this guide. Scientists and beekeepers are always learning more about the life of a queen bee and honey bees in general. For example, she doesn’t technically rule the colony or decide when to raise a new queen. However, there are also many misconceptions about honey bee queens. That said, the primary role of the queen is laying eggs. She’s the focal point of a beehive, tasked with maintaining the population and keeping the colony healthy and buzzing. ![]() Although a colony has hundreds of drones and thousands of worker bees, there is only one queen. From her appearance to her role in the hive, she stands out from her fellow bees.Ī honeybee queen is the largest bee in her colony-she’s usually around twice as long as a worker bee. This is why a bee colony is sometimes called a “superorganism.” What Work Does a Queen Bee Do?Įveryone’s heard of the queen bee. One group cannot survive on its own without the whole colony’s support. With each bee type charged with a distinct role, they work together to exist and thrive. Being the only female in the colony with developed ovaries, she is considered a central figure within the hive. ![]() There is only one queen bee in one colony. Around fall, drones are kicked out of their hives and left to die. They can live up to 8 weeks during that time, they regularly leave to fulfill their only role, which is to mate with the queen bee. Drones are male bees and are slightly longer and stouter than worker bees. What are drone bees?ĭuring the spring and summer, several hundred drones hang around the hive. All worker bees are in charge of everything from construction and maintenance within the colony. All worker bees are females that are not sexually developed. What are worker bees?Ī single honey bee colony can have up to 60,000 worker bees or more. The Honey Bees’ Way of Life: How a Colony Worksīefore we learn about the life of the queen bee, it’s important to put things in perspective and learn about the honey bees’ way of life. But what exactly does the queen honey bee do, and what happens when a colony loses its queen? Learn more about the pivotal role of the queen bee and how she influences the hive’s growth and overall survival. Every colony of honey bees relies on a queen bee to function and survive. ![]()
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