Queen bee

A queen bee is an adult, fertile female bee that lives in a bee colony or hive. She is typically the mother of most, if not all, of the bees in the colony. The queen bee is distinguished from other bees (worker bees and drones) by her larger size, particularly her elongated abdomen, and her undeveloped pollen-collecting structures.

Role and Responsibilities:

The primary responsibility of the queen bee is to lay eggs. She can lay hundreds or even thousands of eggs per day during peak season. The queen's eggs develop into worker bees, drones, or potentially new queens, depending on whether the egg is fertilized and the type of food provided to the larva.

The queen also plays a vital role in maintaining colony cohesion and stability through the production of pheromones. These pheromones influence the behavior of the worker bees, suppressing their reproductive capabilities and signaling the queen's presence and well-being. If the queen's pheromone production diminishes, or if the queen dies, the worker bees may attempt to raise a new queen.

Life Cycle and Development:

Queen bees develop from fertilized eggs, just like worker bees. However, larvae destined to become queens are fed exclusively royal jelly, a protein-rich substance secreted by nurse bees. This special diet triggers the development of the queen's reproductive organs and other distinguishing characteristics.

When a new queen emerges, she will typically embark on a mating flight, where she will mate with multiple drones. She stores the sperm collected during these matings in a spermatheca, which she will use to fertilize eggs throughout her life.

Importance to Beekeeping:

The health and vitality of the queen bee are crucial to the success of a beehive. Beekeepers carefully monitor the queen's egg-laying activity and overall condition. If a queen is failing to lay sufficient eggs or is showing signs of illness, the beekeeper may choose to replace her with a new queen to maintain the productivity of the hive. Queens can live for several years, but their reproductive efficiency typically declines with age.