From bees to honeycomb to honey

How are bees born? Why do they make honey? And what does a queen bee look like? We had these same questions when we decided to go to the apiary with Abeja Negra SOS. They welcomed us at the top of Xochimilco, in a field filled with boxes (the honeycombs) and surrounded by bottles filled with water: the reserves to hydrate the bees.

"Put on this suit and gloves," Adriana told me when we got out of the car, "and if you ever get scared, stay away for a while. The bees smell fear, and that's when they sting." As we entered the space with all the boxes, the buzzing was impressive and enveloping, but rather than frightening you, the sounds calmed you.

Previously, I'd been told the story that queen bees were like enormous white worms, confined inside the honeycomb, where their sole job was to lay eggs. Some of this is true, but on this trip, we learned in depth the differences between a queen bee, a worker bee, and the drones.

Queen bees are larger and more elongated than worker bees. Their colors can vary from yellow, orange, or even red.

Queen bee in a hive

You can tell the age of a queen bee by its build and wings: a young bee is slimmer and its wings are unbroken. Queen bees have a sting like a sword and they fight. The bloodiest battle is to win the position of queen: they sting each other until only one remains victorious. But how can more than one queen exist at a time? Why does the queen lay queen eggs?

You could say that queen bees are obsessive: inside the honeycomb, there are cells designated for eggs, and the queen bees walk through them, observing which ones they need to lay eggs in or which ones are already occupied. They can be seen poking their heads in to check each cell: they can't leave any unoccupied, and if they forget to lay eggs in one, they return to it to fill it. But it's not all the queen's job; the worker ewes are in charge of building the cells. Depending on the population they need, they build different types of cells: some smaller (for worker bees), others a little larger (for drones), and some raised, covered spaces: those for the queen bees.

Cells built for queen bee eggs

Depending on the size and structure of the cell, the queen bee knows which type of egg to lay: an unfertilized one, to obtain a drone; a fertilized egg, to have worker bees or a queen. The bee then lays the eggs, and the nutrition these bees receive ("bee bread" or royal jelly) determines whether she will be a worker bee or a queen.

Worker bees only build cells for a queen bee when they notice their queen is old or injured. However, what happens when a queen bee dies and there is no replacement? In these cases, worker bees can obtain a queen from a previously available egg. If they don't have an egg, the hive will gradually become a "drone hive": a space filled with male bees and, eventually, without any worker bees. This happens because worker bees, although they can lay eggs, cannot fertilize themselves and, therefore, will only lay drones.

Fortunately for the hive kingdom, beekeepers have developed ways to combine hives without killing each other. The solution is to mix sugar and vanilla in a sprinkler and spray the bees with this mixture. The sugar will distract the bees, causing them to suck on each other, and the vanilla will confuse the scent of the pheromones, allowing the hives to unite under one roof.

After telling us this, Adriana sprayed each frame of both hives to gather them in the large box: the drone won't get lost, now they have a queen.

The anatomy of a drone is very similar to that of a worker bee, except that they have a more pronounced "hump" and a larger head and eyes. This is because they need better vision to fertilize the queen in flight.

How to identify a queen bee, a drone, and a worker bee

Worker bees leave the hive in search of two things: pollen and nectar. Upon their return, they deposit these in the honeycomb cells; the pollen (a mixture of propolis and honey) becomes "bee bread," while the nectar creates honey.

To obtain bee bread, pollen must undergo a fermentation process. This will be the primary food for baby and adult bees.

So, what is honey? Honey is the food reserve that bees store for winter or difficult times. This is why honey doesn't undergo a fermentation process; it must be preserved and stored.

Bees collect nectar and store it in a honeycomb or stomach, where enzymes begin the transformation into honey.

Once they reach the honeycomb, they deposit this liquid in the cells and flap their wings to help it lose moisture. Finally, they cover the cells with a layer of wax. This helps preserve the honey by preventing fermentation, as the wax seals the cells and prevents moisture from entering.

The processes for honey

However, honey also has other functions for the hive: not only is it food, but it also helps maintain an adequate temperature inside the honeycomb.

Propolis is a resin that bees use to seal cracks and small openings in the hive, and it has antimicrobial properties that help keep the hive healthy. Bees coat the walls of each cell with propolis, allowing the eggs to develop in a safer and more protected environment.

A bee emerging is like seeing a tiny head trying to break the wax on the cell: they bite it until they manage to free themselves, which can be a bit tiring. The bee is seen gradually freeing itself, little by little, until it manages to emerge; it leaves the cell and cleans its eyes and antennae. Its fur is lighter than the others', a very pale yellow, almost white, but it emerges ready to take its place in the hive and work.

Baby bee

At Abeja Negra SOS, they rescue and relocate hives in Mexico City. They, like the bees, also organize as a team. What we share here is just a portion of what we learned during a day at the apiary with them. If you'd like to continue learning, watch our video here .