How do bees make honey from flower nectar?

Introduction

Honeybees (Apis mellifera) produce honey by collecting nectar from flowers, processing it within their bodies, and storing it in honeycombs. This process involves several stages, including the initial collection of nectar, its transformation within the bee, and the final storage and maturation in the hive.

Key Insights

Initial Nectar Collection and Concentration:
- Bees collect dilute nectar from flowers, which is initially around 20% concentration. During foraging and the return flight, bees regurgitate the nectar onto their tongues, allowing it to evaporate and increase in concentration to about 38-40%.
Digestive Processing:
- The collected nectar is digested within the bee's body, where enzymes break down complex sugars into simpler ones. This process begins in the bee's stomach and continues as the nectar is deposited into the honeycomb.
Transformation of Nectar Constituents:
- During the conversion of nectar to honey, certain proteins and compounds present in the nectar are degraded or inactivated. For example, proteins like lectin and alliinase found in leek nectar are significantly reduced in the final honey product.
Storage and Maturation:
- Once the nectar is deposited in the honeycomb, it undergoes further evaporation and enzymatic activity, leading to the formation of ripe honey. This process involves the reduction of water content and the development of honey's characteristic flavors and properties.

Conclusion

Honey production by bees involves a multi-step process starting with the collection of dilute nectar, which is then concentrated and enzymatically transformed within the bee's body. The nectar undergoes further changes as it is stored in the honeycomb, resulting in the final product of ripe honey. This intricate process ensures that the nectar collected from various flowers is efficiently converted into honey, which serves as a vital food source for the bee colony.

How do bees make honey from flower nectar?

Summary

Introduction

Key Insights

Conclusion

Sources and full results

Bees get a head start on honey production

Honeybees on Aloe greatheadii var. davyana start honey production early, with dilute nectar being concentrated and processed into honey by regurgitation and evaporation during foraging and return flights.

From the Linden Flower to Linden Honey – Volatile Constituents of Linden Nectar, the Extract of Bee‐Stomach and Ripe Honey

Volatile constituents from linden nectar are transformed into honey by the intermediate honeybee, resulting in a unique honey with a unique taste and aroma.

Lectin and alliinase are the predominant proteins in nectar from leek (Allium porrum L.) flowers

Lectin and alliinase are the predominant proteins in nectar from leek flowers, but their levels are significantly reduced in honey produced by bees foraging on leek flowers.

Honeybee (Apis mellifera L, Hymenoptera: Apidae) Produce Honey from Flowers of Tea Plants (Camellia sinensis L., Theaceae)

Honeybees can produce honey from the nectar of tea flowers, refuting the view that tea nectar is toxic to honeybees.

Nectar and Pollen Collection by Honeybees from Coconut Flowers

Honeybees in the tropics use their tongues to collect pollen and nectar while hovering in the air, demonstrating new foraging methods that could enhance their pollinating effectiveness.

Nectar secretion dynamics and honey production potentials of some major honey plants in Saudi Arabia

Many bee plant species in Saudi Arabia have good potential for honey production, with tree species secreting more nectar sugar/flower than herbs, and nectar secretion being positively correlated with ambient temperature.

Drinking made easier: honey bee tongues dip faster into warmer and/or less viscous artificial nectar

Honey bees adapt to nectar properties by regulating dipping frequency, allowing them to ingest warmer and less viscous nectar, increasing their volumetric and energetic intake rates.

Floral nectar chitinase is a potential marker for monofloral honey botanical origin authentication: A case study from loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.).

Chitinase activity in floral nectar can potentially authenticate the botanical origin of honey, making it a potential marker for determining the source flowers of monofloral honeys.

Bee Products: Production and Processing

Bees produce a wide range of products from nectar to pollen to propolis, all of which contribute to the health of the ecosystem.

AN INVESTIGATION OF THE SUGARS PRESENT IN THE NECTAR OF FLOWERS OF VARIOUS SPECIES

This study determined the constituent sugars present in nectar from flowers of various species, aiming to determine whether individual sugars remain constant over time and influence honeybee preferences.

Try another search