The inhabitants of the hive

The organization of a bee colony is fascinating. Each bee depends on other individuals, in a system where complex communication mechanisms regulate the division of tasks and ensure social cohesion.

A bee colony is made up of three castes with distinct morphology and roles.

The Queen

It is larger than other bees because its larva has been fed
only royal jelly before its metamorphosis. She is the only one in the hive to lay eggs, at a rate of 2000 to 3000 per day. Its life will last on average 5 years. Commander-in-chief of the hive, she can have under her command more than 80,000 workers, whom she regulates with pheromones.

The drone

He is the male of the hive. There are around 2,500 of them in the
hive. Their only job is to try to impregnate the queen during the nuptial flight once in their lifetime. The elected will pay with their lives for this reproductive act. They live on average 50 days. He is the only one without a sting.

The worker

It is the one that we encounter in nature. It has a tongue for foraging on flower nectar. In summer, it lives on average 40 days. Those born in the fall will live until spring by hibernating. In her life, she will accomplish various tasks:

• Cleaner: On the first day of its life, the bee is responsible for cleaning, starting with the cells.

• Nurse: Nurse workers produce the food needed by the larvae and distribute it selectively based on their age and caste. All larvae receive royal jelly for their first three days, then will receive a mixture of honey and pollen. The queen, who must become larger and more fertile, receives royal jelly throughout her life. The larvae are fed individually more than 1,000 times and receive 7,000 monitoring visits. From the 10th day, the royal jelly secreting glands are reabsorbed, the wax glands develop.

• Mason: Thanks to their wax glands, and guided by the stimulatory pheromones of the queen, the masons create the alveoli where they are responsible for repairs, modifications and the capping of the cells.

• Guardian: The worker will then be responsible for defending the entrance to the hive from its enemies: wasps, hornets, birds, rodents... It is by smell that they ensure the identity of individuals.

• Ventilator: Bees practice ventilation by flapping their wings to ventilate the hive and manage the microclimate of the colony, particularly the temperature. They also do it to dry out the nectar.

• Forager: Around the age of 3 weeks, the worker can become a forager. Its role is then to harvest the nutrients necessary for the colony: nectar, pollen and water, as well as propolis, used to sanitize the hive. A forager makes around ten to a hundred trips per day, within 2 to 3 kilometers around.

When a bee feels its end is near, it does not return to the hive so as not to give extra work to the cleaners.

Fascinating, isn't it? If you have any questions about these wonderful little insects, don't hesitate to let us know in the comments!