Queen of the bees: her key role in founding and sustaining the colonyWithin the hive, each bee plays a specific role, but the queen is undoubtedly one of the most fascinating and crucial figures for the colony's survival. A true matriarch, she holds a central place in the organization of the hive. But what exactly does the queen bee do, and why is she so important? Here is an overview of her indispensable role.
Queen of the bees: her key role in founding and sustaining the colony
The queen bee is the only fertile female in the hive. Unlike other bees which are workers (infertile) or drones (males), the queen's main role is to lay eggs. She is the mother of all the bees in the colony, and without her, the hive could not reproduce.
How a bee becomes queen? The secret of royal jelly
The birth of a queen is a unique and fascinating process. When needed, such as when a new queen must be raised or when the current queen ages or dies, the worker bees select young larvae, less than three days old, to feed them with a special diet called royal jelly. This rich and nutritious food is what transforms an ordinary bee into a queen. Larvae fed exclusively on royal jelly develop faster and differently from others, with fully developed reproductive organs.
It is thanks to this exceptional nutrition that these bees become fertile and capable of laying eggs. This phenomenon, called queen rearing, is crucial for the survival of the hive.
Egg laying by the queen bee: how many and why it’s vital for the hive
The queen's main role is to lay enough eggs to ensure the survival of the hive. In one day, she can lay up to 2,000 eggs, or even more, depending on the season.
The different types of bees in the hive: workers, false drones and queens
These eggs will give rise to workers, drones (males), and, when necessary, new queens.
- The workers: These are sterile females who will take on all the tasks of the hive: feeding the larvae, collecting nectar, building the cells, etc.
- The drones: Males whose main role is to fertilize a new queen at the end of the season.
- The queens: They are specifically raised to become new hive queens. Their birth depends on particular conditions and the nutrition they receive.
How the queen of bees control the population of the hive?
The queen bee also regulates the balance of the colony according to its needs. During the reproduction period, the queen will increase the number of eggs she lays to replace aging worker bees. She influences the genetics of future bees by laying fertilized eggs (which will become females) and unfertilized eggs (which will become males).
The pheromones of the queen of the bees: an invisible language for the harmony of the hive
The pheromones produced by the queen play a crucial role in hive management. These chemical substances allow the queen to communicate with other colony members. They have several functions:
- Coordination: The queen's pheromones inhibit the reproduction of other female bees, allowing only one fertile queen in the hive.
- Social cohesion: They strengthen the unity of the colony by ensuring that all the bees work in a common direction. When the queen is sick or dying, these pheromones cease, which can disrupt the harmony of the hive.
How the beekeepers ensure to the health of the queen of bees?
Since the queen is at the heart of the hive, her health is crucial for proper colony management. Beekeepers closely monitor the condition of the queen and the hive. If the queen becomes sterile or ill, it can lead to a decrease in egg-laying, a loss of cohesion in the hive, and, in some cases, the absence of queen replacement.
To preserve the queen's health:
- Beekeepers ensure that she is not stressed and that the hive has enough resources (nectar, pollen, etc.) to support her egg-laying.
- In case of problems, beekeepers can introduce a new queen or even split the hive to allow a new queen to develop.
Beekeepers also use techniques to prevent swarming, a phenomenon where the queen leaves the hive with part of the bees to form a new colony. This helps maintain harmony and stability in the hive.
Why the queen of bees is essential to the survival of the hive?
Without the queen, the hive cannot survive in the long term. Her ability to lay eggs and maintain demographic balance is essential for the renewal of generations and for colony management. Moreover, her absence triggers a transition: the bees may attempt to raise a new queen, but this process can lead to periods of instability. The queen ensures the colony's longevity and efficiency. Without her, the meticulous organization of the hive could not exist.