Honey is a sweet, sticky treat loved by many around the world. In 2021, the global honey industry was worth about $8 billion. Beyond its delicious taste, honey, especially types like Manuka honey, has antimicrobial properties that can even help heal wounds.
But how do bees make honey? Dr. Adolfo Sánchez-Blanco, an associate professor of biology at CT State-Capital, explains this fascinating process.
Do Bees Eat Their Own Honey?
Yes, bees create honey to nourish their entire colony. The average beehive houses between 60,000 to 80,000 bees. Honey is rich in sugar, which is essential for feeding larvae and energizing the bees’ flight muscles. Bees produce honey in large quantities and store it in honeycombs. This extra supply sustains the colony during the winter when nectar is scarce.
Why Do Bees Spit Out Honey?
The honey-making process begins when female worker bees consume flower nectar. Here’s a breakdown of the process:
- Nectar Collection:
- Worker bees gather nectar from flowers.
- Nectar is stored in a special “honey stomach.”
- Digestive Process:
- In the honey stomach, enzymes break down nectar into glucose and fructose.
- Regurgitation:
- Bees return to the colony and pass the digested nectar from bee to bee.
- This process exposes the nectar to more enzymes, transforming it further.
- After multiple regurgitations, the nectar becomes a primitive form of honey with high water content.
This intricate process ensures that the honey is ready to be stored in honeycombs and later used by the colony for nourishment.
Quick Facts:
- Average Beehive: 60,000 to 80,000 bees
- Honey Uses:
- Feeds larvae
- Energizes flight muscles
- Sustains the colony during winter
- Honey Stomach: A special stomach in bees for storing and processing nectar
- Enzyme Activity: Enzymes in the honey stomach break down nectar into simpler sugars
Honey production is a remarkable example of nature’s ingenuity, providing both sustenance for bees and a valuable resource for humans.
