Honey bees are essential to the planet, having enabled the growth of foods for nearly 34 million years. Only a fraction of the 20,000 bee species produce honey, and each bee produces only a twelfth of a teaspoon in her lifetime. Humans have collaborated with them for 9,000 years, and science has enabled beekeepers to form responsible relationships with their hives. Three species of female bees live in each colony, creating a bustling metropolis.

Queen Bee
The only fertile female in the entire colony is the queen bee. Before permanently relocating to the hive, a young queen will spend a few days traveling to other colonies and mating with up to 15 male drone bees. She can produce about 1,500 eggs per day, and almost every bee in the colony is a descendant of her. Additionally, the queen creates pheromones that control the behavior of her worker bees; if she moves, they will follow her without hesitation.

Worker Bees
Nearly 99% of the 60,000 bees in a colony are worker bees. Their duties vary with age; young bees distribute nectar, mature bees keep the hive tidy, guard, and forage for pollen and nectar. When they find a good resource, they will return and engage in a "waggle dance" to indicate direction, distance, and type of resource. 

Drone Bees
Drone bees are fertile males that basically only exist to fertilize queens from other colonies. They lack stingers, die during mating, and are excluded from the hive during the winter so that female bees can have access to resources.

Hive Behaviour
Honey bees will retreat into their hives and create a structure known as a winter cluster when the temperature falls below 10 degrees Celsius. They vibrate to maintain the hive's comfortable temperature, which is actually quite warm (between 27 and 34 degrees Celsius), during the colder months.

In a time when wild populations of honey bees are threatened, it is our duty to provide ethical, sustainable stewardship because honey bees are crucial to agriculture, wild habitats, and the health of the planet. Always choosing 100% Raw Yemeni SIDR honey that has been sustainably produced is the best and simplest way to help honey bees.

You can improve your kitchen with Raw Yemeni SIDR honey by bringing it home, and you can also support the survival of honey bees by doing so.