The question of whether bees consume feces often arises from observing their foraging habits. Bees are highly organized insects with specialized nutritional needs, and their survival depends on a pristine internal environment. Understanding their diet and hygiene requires separating common misconceptions from the scientific facts of their biology. This exploration details the substances that power a bee colony and the sophisticated methods they use to maintain a clean home.
Addressing the Myth: Do Bees Consume Feces
Honey bees do not consume feces as a source of nutrition; their diet is strictly vegetarian and derived from flowering plants. Their digestive systems are adapted to process the simple sugars in nectar and the proteins in pollen, making animal waste unsuitable for their metabolic needs. Ingesting waste material would also expose the colony to pathogens and parasites, which would be detrimental to their social structure.
The confusion likely stems from observations of bees collecting mineral-rich liquids from unusual sources. Bees require trace elements and salts that are not always abundant in floral nectar. To fulfill this need, foraging bees sometimes seek out water sources containing these minerals, such as moist soil, human sweat, or animal urine and feces. They are collecting the water and dissolved salts, not consuming the organic waste itself for sustenance.
The products bees create, such as honey, are safe for consumption. Honey is a highly preserved food due to its low pH, high sugar concentration, and the presence of hydrogen peroxide. These natural properties inhibit the growth of bacteria and microbes, ensuring the stored food remains pure.
The Essential Bee Diet: Nectar, Pollen, and Water
The entire livelihood of a bee colony is supported by three primary resources collected from the environment: nectar, pollen, and water. These floral products provide all the necessary carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals required for the development and maintenance of the hive. The proportion gathered shifts based on the colony’s immediate needs, such as during brood rearing.
Nectar is the sweet, liquid secretion from plants that serves as the primary energy source for adult bees. It is composed mostly of water and simple sugars. Foraging bees collect nectar and store it in a specialized organ called the honey stomach, separate from their digestive tract.
Back in the hive, worker bees process the nectar by repeatedly regurgitating and consuming it, adding enzymes that break down the sugars. They deposit this liquid into honeycomb cells and fan it with their wings to evaporate excess water, concentrating the sugars until it becomes honey. Honey serves as the colony’s long-term carbohydrate reserve, providing fuel during winter or when flowers are scarce.
Pollen is the bee’s sole source of protein, lipids, vitamins, and minerals. This substance is essential for the growth and development of young bees and the production of royal jelly by nurse bees. Worker bees collect pollen grains and pack them into specialized structures on their hind legs known as corbiculae, or pollen baskets, for transport back to the colony.
The protein content in pollen varies widely between plant species, influencing colony health. Colonies require a diverse intake to ensure they receive a complete profile of necessary amino acids. Insufficient or low-quality pollen can impair the development of nurse bees and reduce the colony’s ability to raise new brood.
Specialized Components
Once pollen arrives at the hive, it is mixed with nectar and glandular secretions before being packed into cells and allowed to ferment, creating beebread. This fermentation process makes the protein more digestible and preserves the pollen for long-term use. Beebread is the main source of protein for older larvae and young adult workers, fueling the development of their fat bodies and hypopharyngeal glands.
Royal jelly is a specialized, milky secretion produced by the hypopharyngeal glands of nurse bees. It is a highly concentrated food source rich in proteins, lipids, vitamins, and a unique fatty acid known as 10-HDA. All young larvae are fed royal jelly for the first three days after hatching.
The difference in diet beyond the initial three days determines the larvae’s caste. Larvae destined to become worker bees switch to beebread. A larva selected to become a queen is fed royal jelly exclusively throughout its development, triggering the physiological changes necessary for reproductive maturity.
The third component is water, which is important for two reasons. First, water is used to dilute the thick, stored honey, making it easier for adult bees and larvae to consume. Second, during hot weather, worker bees spread droplets of water throughout the hive and fan them to create an evaporative cooling effect, maintaining the internal temperature for brood development.
Keeping the Hive Clean: Bee Hygiene and Waste Removal
Bees are renowned for their meticulous hygiene, a behavior fundamental to the health and survival of the colony. They maintain a sterile environment within the hive by employing several mechanisms to prevent the accumulation of waste and the spread of disease. This commitment to cleanliness is why they do not excrete waste inside their living space.
The primary method of waste disposal is through cleansing flights, or defecation flights. Worker bees hold their fecal matter in their rectum, often for days or weeks, until the weather is warm enough for them to fly outside the hive. They then release the waste while in flight, keeping the interior of the nest clean.
In cold climates, bees may hold their feces for several months throughout the winter cluster, only taking a cleansing flight on the first warm day. The only time bees will defecate inside the hive is when they are severely sick or have consumed a food source that causes dysentery, which signals colony distress.
Worker bees known as undertaker bees are tasked with removing all physical debris from the colony. They carry dead adults, deceased larvae, and other foreign materials out of the hive entrance and drop them far away. This behavior, called necrophoresis, prevents the decomposition of organic matter inside the nest, which would otherwise become a breeding ground for pathogens.
If a large invader, such as a mouse, enters the hive and is killed but is too big to carry out, the bees use propolis. Propolis is a resinous material collected from tree buds and bark, which the bees use to seal and embalm the carcass. This process effectively mummifies the foreign body, isolating it from the colony and preventing decay.