How Do Honey Bees Make Honey?

Honey bees are the types of bee which make honey, and you'll find thousands upon thousands of different species scattered all over the World - with the exception that is, of the North and South Poles and some of the extremely hot deserts. If you love honey and the wonderful health benefits it bestows upon you, you may be tempted to keep some of these industrious insects yourself, either as a fascinating hobby or as a profitable business venture. But let's look first at how these busy little creatures actually make the product they're so famous for.

Making Honey

Making honey is no easy task and all the little honey bees work extremely hard. In each hive you'll discover a queen bee that gives birth to workers bees, and it's the worker bees that make the honey. Basically, you have two types of worker bee - the older worker bee and the younger worker bee. The older worker bee will leave the hive to collect nectar from surrounding flowers. Once her little honey stomach is full, an inversion procedure occurs whereby enzymes break down complex sugars into simpler ones. On returning to the hive, the older worker bee will disgorge the resulting liquid, and the younger worker bees then take over. They'll taste and test the modified nectar, convert what they consider suitable into pure honey, and deposit it in the top of one of the honey comb cells. They'll then fan the honey by flapping their wings for several hours, so that any remaining water evaporates and the sugars thicken. Finally, they seal the honey up.

Beekeeping

Beekeeping is an extremely rewarding and satisfying activity, but you need to take it seriously and with care. If you're new to it, the ideal way to learn is by watching an expert. Once you're confident that you know what you're doing, then it's time to purchase your equipment. You'll need a new, good quality hive - ideally of red cedar - including roof and floor, three super boxes, a crown board, a queen excluder, and a separate brood box. You'll also need protective clothing, tools to open the hive and extract the honey, and a smoker to stun the bees slightly whilst collecting the honey. If you're not surrounded by plenty of colorful flowers then you may also need a feeder to feed sugar syrup to your bees.

Once your beekeeping equipment is installed, the next step is to get your honey bees. Packaged bees are a good option for the beginner as, although they don't produce tremendous amounts of honey, they're non-aggressive and easier to handle. Make sure you keep your hives clean, surrounded by colorful, pesticide-free flowers, and you're sure to enjoy the benefits not only of deliciously healthy honey, but also of bee pollen and royal jelly.

Honey bees have a tremendously hard existence and receive very little reward for all the good work they do of pollinating flowers and making honey. Without them you'd have far fewer flowers and crops, and wouldn't be able to benefit from Nature's most powerful natural healer and medicine. So, make the most of honey and even consider keeping your own honey bees. It's a fascinating hobby, you'll grow to love and respect the little creatures, and your health will benefit no end.

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