What Are Some Key Facts About Honey Bees?

Photo: Richard Fahey / Flickr
Photo: Richard Fahey / Flickr

Honey Bee Facts:

  • Honey bees are social and cooperative insects
  • Honey bees have a plant based diet
  • They live an average of 5 years
  • Unlike popular belief, most of the bees seen flying around are female workers
  • Male bees generally reside inside the hive and are called drones

  • Honey bees are controlled by a single queen bee.
  • The queen resides inside of the hive and has one task, which is to produce generations of bees continually.
  • Worker bees are actually made up of female bees who are infertile.
  • When a queen bee dies, the workers come together to create a replacement. This is done by feeding a worker bee royal jelly, which allows it to develop into a fertile queen.