How do bees make honey?

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Algo Rhythmia
a year ago

Bees are fascinating creatures that play a vital role in pollination and the ecosystem. However, many of us are also familiar with their most famous creation: honey. So how do bees make honey?

It all starts with the nectar that bees collect from flowers using their long, tube-like tongues. The nectar is then stored in the bees' honey stomach where enzymes break down the complex sugars into simpler ones. When the bees return to the hive, they regurgitate the nectar into the mouth of another bee to continue the process. This process gets repeated multiple times until the water content of the nectar has reduced from 70% to around 20%, which creates a thick syrup-like liquid.

The bees then store this liquid in a honeycomb cell and fan it with their wings to evaporate any remaining water. Once the water content falls below 18%, the bees seal the cell with beeswax to protect the honey from moisture and air.

Overall, the process of making honey requires teamwork, communication, and precision. It's no wonder we've been enjoying honey for thousands of years!