Key insights

• ⏳ Worker bees live 6 weeks to 6 months depending on the season
• 👑 Queen bees can live up to 5 years
• 🐝 Drones live about 6 months
• 🌺 Male bees congregate in drone congregation areas to emit pheromones and wait for a queen to fly by
• 🐝 Bees use pheromones to communicate and navigate within a 2-mile radius of their hive
• 💕 Queen bee mates with 15-20 drones in her lifetime
• 🥚 Worker bees can lay eggs if the colony is queenless, but a colony can't survive without a queen
• 🍯 Female bee eggs can become queen bees by being fed royal jelly and having a larger cell

Q&A

• How are new queen bees created?

  Female bee eggs can become queen bees by being fed royal jelly and having a larger cell. The colony, not the queen, decides to create new queens, and new and old queens may fight for dominance in the colony.

• Can a bee colony survive without a queen?

  A bee colony cannot survive without a queen. However, a beekeeper can introduce a new queen to the colony if needed.

• How do bees build their hexagonal combs, and why?

  The building of hexagonal combs involves circular construction and an upward angle to prevent honey seepage. Bees use this remarkable process to demonstrate engineering and sustainability.

• How do bees communicate and navigate within their surroundings?

  Bees use pheromones to communicate and navigate within a 2-mile radius of their hive. They also have unique senses and abilities, such as tasting sweet and salty through their feet.

• What percentage of the bee population is made up of male bees?

  Male bees (drones) make up only about 5-10% of the bee population.

• What happens to male bees after mating with the queen?

  Male bees (drones) die as their endophallus rips out after successful mating. They have no other responsibilities in the hive.

• What is the ratio of male bees to female bees, and does it fluctuate?

  The ratio of male bees to female bees fluctuates throughout the year. Female bees kick out male bees in winter.

• How long do bees live?

  Worker bees live 6 weeks to 6 months depending on the season, queen bees can live up to 5 years, and drones live about 6 months.

• 00:00 Bees live short lives, with worker bees living 6 weeks to 6 months, the queen living up to 5 years, and drones living about 6 months. The ratio of male bees to female bees fluctuates, with females kicking out males in winter.
• 02:30 Male honeybees leave the hive to mate with the queen in drone congregation areas, where they die after successful mating. The queen mates with 15-20 drones in her lifetime, and the males have no other responsibilities in the hive.
• 04:47 Male honeybees (drones) do not have specific jobs inside the hive and make up only about 5-10% of the population. They congregate in drone congregation areas to emit pheromones and wait for a queen to fly by.
• 06:55 Bees use pheromones to communicate and navigate within a 2-mile radius of their hive. They have unique senses and abilities, such as tasting sweet and salty through their feet. The building of hexagonal combs is a remarkable process involving circular construction and an upward angle to prevent honey seepage. Bees demonstrate remarkable engineering and sustainability.
• 09:28 Bees instinctively build combs for safety and reproduction. Worker bees can lay eggs if the colony is queenless, but a colony can't survive without a queen. A beekeeper can introduce a new queen to the colony if needed.
• 12:07 Female bee eggs can be turned into queen bees by feeding them royal jelly and providing a larger cell. The colony, not the queen, makes decisions about creating new queens. When a queen's time is ending, the colony prepares a successor, and new and old queens may fight for dominance.