Honey, the sweet substance produced by bees, is often misunderstood as a form of bee waste. Bees do not excrete honey. Instead, honey is a processed food source created from nectar, distinct from their waste products.
How Bees Make Honey
Honey production begins with foraging worker bees collecting nectar from flowers using their proboscis. This sugary liquid is stored in a specialized organ, the honey stomach or crop, separate from their digestive stomach. In the honey stomach, the nectar mixes with enzymes, such as invertase, which begin to break down complex sugars like sucrose into simpler sugars, glucose and fructose.
Upon returning to the hive, the foraging bee regurgitates the nectar and passes it mouth-to-mouth to younger house bees in a process called trophallaxis. This transfer continues among several bees, with more enzymes being added, further transforming the nectar. The nectar, which initially contains a high water content, around 70-80%, is then deposited into honeycomb cells.
To reduce moisture and prevent fermentation, worker bees vigorously fan their wings over the open cells. This fanning creates airflow that evaporates water from the nectar, concentrating it to about 17-20% water content. Once the honey reaches this optimal thickness, the bees cap the cells with beeswax, sealing it for storage.
The Reality of Bee Waste
Bees, like all living creatures, produce waste, distinct from honey. Bee waste, or feces, consists primarily of digested pollen, plant pigments, and residual nectar components. The bee’s digestive system includes a midgut for nutrient absorption and a hindgut, including the rectum, for waste management.
Honey bees are hygienic and generally do not defecate inside the hive to maintain cleanliness. Instead, worker bees undertake “cleansing flights,” flying a short distance from the hive to expel their waste. These flights are noticeable after periods of confinement, such as during winter or bad weather, when bees hold their waste for extended durations, sometimes up to 80 days.
Bee feces typically appear as small, sticky, yellow to yellowish-brown droplets or splatters. The color is often attributed to undigested pollen grains and fats. These yellow droppings are a normal sign of a healthy colony.
Is Honey Clean?
Honey is considered a clean and safe food product for human consumption due to its natural properties and the bees’ hygienic practices. Its chemical composition contributes to its cleanliness. Honey has low water activity, high sugar concentration, and an acidic pH, which collectively create an environment inhospitable to most microorganisms.
Bees also add enzymes, such as glucose oxidase, during honey production, which leads to the production of hydrogen peroxide when honey is diluted. This compound acts as a natural antimicrobial agent, inhibiting bacterial growth.
Within the hive, bees maintain strict hygiene, regularly removing debris, dead bees, and waste. This ensures the hive, and consequently the honey, remains free from contaminants.