Bees make honey through a multi-step natural process involving nectar collection, enzymatic transformation, evaporation, and storage:
- Nectar Collection
Bees collect nectar, a sugary liquid produced by flowers, using their long proboscis (tongue). Nectar is mostly water (70-80%) with sugars like sucrose, glucose, and fructose
- Nectar Storage and Enzymatic Breakdown
The nectar is stored in a special "honey stomach" separate from the bee’s digestive stomach. Inside this honey stomach, enzymes such as invertase break down complex sugars (sucrose) into simpler sugars (glucose and fructose). This enzymatic action also raises the acidity, which helps inhibit bacterial growth
- Returning to the Hive and Processing
Once back at the hive, the forager bee regurgitates the nectar and passes it mouth-to-mouth to other worker bees. These bees continue to process the nectar by adding more enzymes and repeatedly regurgitating it. This process thickens the nectar and transforms it into honey
- Evaporation of Water
Bees store the processed nectar in wax honeycomb cells. They fan their wings to create airflow, which evaporates much of the water content, reducing it to about 18% or less. This low water content prevents fermentation and spoilage, preserving the honey
- Sealing the Honey
Once the honey reaches the right consistency and water content, bees cap the honeycomb cells with wax to store the honey for future use, primarily as food for the colony, especially during winter
In summary, bees make honey by collecting nectar, enzymatically breaking down sugars in their honey stomachs, passing and processing the nectar among hive bees, evaporating water through fanning, and storing the thickened honey in wax cells sealed for preservation
