Do Bees Eat Honey?
Yes, honey bees (Apis
mellifera) eat the honey they produce. Honey is their primary source of
carbohydrates and is vital not only for daily energy but also for other
metabolic functions such as thermoregulation, brood care, and wax secretion
(Quinlan et al., 2023; Huang, 2018).
Nutritional Function of Honey
Honey is composed
primarily of simple sugars—fructose and glucose—making up about 80–85% of its content, with water
accounting for 15–17%
(Martinotti & Ranzato, 2023). It also contains trace amounts of enzymes,
amino acids, vitamins, and minerals (Rao et al., 2016). This sugar-rich
composition makes honey an efficient energy source. Worker bees consume honey
to fuel flight, fanning, foraging, and maintaining hive temperature. During
cold periods or nectar scarcity, bees rely entirely on their honey reserves for
survival (Mississippi State University Extension, 2019).
Honey
and Wax Production
Beyond energy, honey
is also essential in wax production. Worker bees consume large amounts
of honey to generate wax scales from abdominal glands. According to Hepburn
(1986), it takes approximately 6.6 to 8.4 kg of honey to produce 1 kg of
beeswax, highlighting the metabolic cost of comb building. The wax is
critical for constructing brood cells and storage areas for pollen and honey.
Honey Consumption in Tropical Climates
In tropical regions
such as sub-Saharan Africa where winter is absent, honey bees do not enter
dormancy but still rely on stored honey during seasonal nectar dearths. For
example, during long dry spells or periods of intense heat when flowering
plants are sparse, bees reduce foraging and consume stored honey to maintain
basic colony functions (Adjare, 1990; Nuru et al., 2015). These seasonal
shortages mimic winter scarcity in temperate zones in terms of resource stress.
Do Bees Eat Honey Before Rain or If Harvest Is Delayed?
Yes. Bees can detect
atmospheric changes, including humidity and pressure drops that signal
impending rain. In anticipation, they increase feeding on stored honey to
prepare for confinement during rainy days (Crane, 1990). Similarly, if honey
remains unharvested and environmental conditions change—such as onset of a rainy season—bees may consume surplus honey,
especially if foraging is curtailed. In such cases, beekeepers may find reduced
yields if harvest is delayed.
Furthermore, the timing
of harvesting is crucial. Delayed harvesting during or after peak nectar
flow can coincide with the colony shifting to consumption rather than storage—especially if pollen becomes limited or nectar stops
flowing. A study by Fichtl & Admasu (1994) in Ethiopia noted that local
beekeepers often lose part of the honey yield if not collected early, as bees
consume the surplus during late dry seasons.
How Much Honey Do Bees Consume?
An adult worker bee
consumes approximately 11 mg of honey daily for metabolic needs (Huang, 2018).
A standard colony of 50,000 bees may consume up to 1 kg of honey per day
under active foraging or brood-rearing conditions. For long-term survival
during scarcity periods, colonies may require 30–45 kg of honey reserves,
depending on region and hive size (Mississippi State University Extension,
2019).
Sources and Downloads
You can view or download the academic and institutional sources cited in this article below:
| Title | Authors / Source | Download / View |
|---|---|---|
| Carbohydrate Nutrition & Overwintering Bees | Quinlan et al. (2023) – Journal of Insect Science | View Article |
| Feeding Honey Bees | Huang (2018) – MSU Extension | Download PDF |
| Colony Growth & Seasonal Management | Mississippi State University Extension (2019) | Download PDF |
| Beehive Products and Healing | Martinotti & Ranzato (2023) – Cosmetics | View Article |
| Therapeutic Effects of Honey | Rao et al. (2016) – Brazilian Journal of Pharmacognosy | View Article |
| Honeybee Wax Biology | Hepburn (1986) – Bee World | View Article |
| Beekeeping in Africa | Adjare (1990) – FAO | View Full Book |
| Honeybee Flora of Ethiopia | Fichtl & Admasu (1994) – GTZ | Download PDF |
| Bees and Beekeeping: World Resources | Crane (1990) – Book Excerpt | View Book Online |
References
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