Queens are raised by honey bee colonies in special queen cells. These are near vertical, peanut-shaped beeswax cells with an opening that faces downwards.
These queen cells are built only when required – when a queen is swarming or when conditions are favourable for supersedure. When a new queen is raised, it’s fed only royal jelly.
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Nectar
In the summertime, bees primarily eat nectar from flowers. This sugary substance provides the bees with a good source of energy and is full of protein.
The bees convert the nectar into honey. This is then stored in a special pouch called a honey stomach.
Bees also collect and store water in a structure called the crop. This is located near the bee’s thorax. Once the crop is full, it is transported back to the hive. When the water content of the crop reaches about 18%, the nectar turns into honey and is then stored in cells in the comb.
Honey
Aside from being the most important member of a bee colony, the queen is also one of the largest consumers. She is responsible for laying eggs, producing pheromones that keep the hive in check, and even flying when necessary.
During her time as a larva, the queen is fed royal jelly, a secretion produced by worker bees. It is thought that this special diet helps the bee turn into a queen.
Once she reaches adulthood, the queen no longer eats royal jelly, instead she eats honey and nectar. This food is extremely nutritious and gives her the energy she needs to live a long life.
Bee Bread
Queen bees eat a lot of bee bread. This fermented pollen is a protein rich source of nutrients that the queen needs to produce food for her brood.
Bees collect pollen on flowers, and then place it in a special basket in their hind legs to store for later use. After about ninety days, the mixture is put in the hive, where it is mixed with honey and probiotic bacteria that break down pollen proteins.
The enzymes found in bee bread make it easier for the bees to digest the pollen and absorb its nutrients. These include catalase, invertase, phosphatases, transferases and glucose oxidase. They also contain biotin, glutathione and NAD. These nutrients help bees to convert their high molecular weight proteins into lower molecular weight substances such as polysaccharides and amino acids that are more easily assimilated by the body.
Bee Pollen
Bees collect pollen from plant anthers, comb it off of their body hairs, and pack it onto special structures on their rear legs called pollen baskets. After foraging, the worker bees bring back the pollen to their hive to feed the queen and larvae.
Bee pollen is a nutritional supplement that contains vitamins, minerals, trace elements, enzymes, amino acids, and antioxidants. Its exact makeup varies according to the plant from which it was gathered.
Bee pollen is often used as an alternative treatment for seasonal allergies. It has been shown to reduce the production of IgG1 and IgE antibodies, which are produced in response to allergens. It may also decrease inflammation and inflammatory reactions.
Royal Jelly
Royal jelly, the sweet milky white substance secreted by nurse bees, is the primary food source for young queens. It’s also used by humans as a dietary supplement and topical skin treatment to promote collagen production, ease premenstrual symptoms and relieve menopause symptoms.
In a new study, scientists have discovered that what makes a larva into a queen is not royal jelly itself. It’s the amount of food they’re fed that determines their fate.
The researchers found that a special protein found in royal jelly and another glandular product create a pH-dependent fibril network that allows the larva to stick to the top of the jelly. This helps them float in an elongated queen cell, where they’ll eventually become queen bees.
The researchers believe that this fibril network, which reduces the jelly’s pH from 7 to 4, is what keeps the larva at the top of the cell. It may also help the larva hold onto the ceiling of the queen cell as they grow larger and stronger.
