How Bees Make Honey

Honey is a miraculous substance, containing enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. But it’s not the only amazing thing bees make in the hive. Honey starts as nectar that bees gather from thousands of flowers on foraging flights. The bees store the nectar in a special sac next to the stomach. On returning to the hive, they transfer it to the mouths of waiting worker bees. Workers ingest and regurgitate the nectar over and over for several minutes. Their digestive enzymes convert the sucrose in the nectar to other forms of sugar and add gluconic acid and hydrogen peroxide that act as preservatives. Finally, they deposit the liquid in storage cells where other workers fan it with their wings to reduce its water content, till it takes on the thick consistency of honey. Honey provides the carbohydrate energy that powers the colony. But the hive requires other products too. Some bees gather water, which will be used for evaporative cooling. They’ll fan air across it to maintain a constant 93 degrees Fahrenheit within the hive. Others gather pollen, which is mixed with honey to ferment and create “bee bread,” the hive’s main source of protein. Still others gather tree resin, which they mix with wax and saliva to produce “bee glue,” or propolis. It’s used to mend the hive and line the brood area to keep it clean, since it has antibiotic qualities.