Bees rely on nectar as their primary source of sustenance. This sugary liquid provides the energy for their demanding daily activities. Without nectar, bees would lack the fuel required for flight, foraging, and maintaining their colony’s social structure. It forms the fundamental basis of their diet, directly supporting individual bee survival and overall colony health.
What is Nectar?
Nectar is a sweet fluid produced by flowering plants, secreted from specialized glands called nectaries. These nectaries can be found in various plant parts, including within the flower, on leaves, or on stems. Its primary components are sugars, predominantly sucrose, glucose, and fructose, which vary by plant species.
Beyond sugars, nectar also contains a significant amount of water, typically ranging from 30% to 90%. It also contains trace amounts of compounds like amino acids, minerals, and essential oils. Plants tailor nectar’s composition and concentration to attract specific pollinators. Honeybees rarely gather nectar with less than 15% sugar content.
Why Nectar is Essential for Bees
Nectar is the primary high-energy fuel for bees, powering nearly all their metabolic processes. Its sugars are rapidly broken down, providing immediate energy for demanding activities like flight. A foraging bee can fly for many miles, requiring a constant supply of readily available carbohydrates.
Nectar’s energy also supports important colony functions beyond individual foraging. Bees use this energy for thermoregulation, regulating the hive’s temperature. Maintaining a stable temperature, typically between 33°C and 36°C (91-96°F), ensures the healthy growth of larvae and pupae.
This carbohydrate-rich diet sustains the adult bee population, enabling them to perform varied tasks within the colony, from nurse bees feeding larvae to guard bees protecting the entrance. Without sufficient nectar, a bee colony’s ability to thrive, reproduce, and even survive would be severely compromised.
From Nectar to Honey
The process of transforming nectar into honey begins when a foraging bee collects the sugary liquid from a flower. The bee uses its proboscis, a tube-like mouthpart, to draw nectar into a specialized internal organ called the honey stomach, or crop. During the return flight, enzymes are added to the nectar within the honey stomach, beginning the conversion.
Upon arrival at the hive, the foraging bee regurgitates the nectar to a house bee, a process known as trophallaxis. During this transfer, more enzymes are added, and water content begins to decrease. The enzymes break down complex sugars like sucrose into simpler sugars, glucose and fructose.
Finally, the partially processed nectar is deposited into hexagonal beeswax cells within the hive. To further reduce water content, bees fan their wings vigorously over the open cells. This fanning evaporates excess moisture, concentrating the sugars until the water content falls to approximately 17-20%. Once the honey reaches this optimal consistency, bees cap the cells with a thin layer of wax, sealing it for long-term storage, especially during periods of nectar scarcity.
Nectar vs. Pollen
While both nectar and pollen are collected by bees from flowering plants, they serve distinctly different nutritional purposes for the colony. Nectar is primarily a source of carbohydrates, providing immediate and long-term energy for adult bees. It fuels their flight, metabolism, and all hive activity.
Pollen, in contrast, is the primary source of proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals for bees. It is often referred to as “bee bread” after being processed by bees through fermentation, mixing it with honey and bee secretions. Pollen is essential for the growth and development of larval bees, and nurse bees consume it to produce royal jelly, which feeds the queen and young larvae.