Queen bees are central to their colonies, primarily serving as the sole egg-layers. While worker bees constantly fly for foraging and hive maintenance, a queen bee’s flights are rare and serve only a few specific, important purposes. Her ability to fly is inherent, but her flights are distinct events, not part of her daily activities.
The Nuptial Flight
The first and most important flight a new queen bee undertakes is the nuptial flight. This journey is essential for her reproductive future and the continuation of her colony. A virgin queen typically embarks on this flight a few days after emerging from her cell, usually between day 3 and 10.
The primary purpose of the nuptial flight is for the queen to mate with multiple drones. She flies high into the air, often reaching altitudes of up to 700 meters, to specific drone congregation areas. Thousands of drones from various colonies gather in these areas, attracted by the queen’s pheromones.
Mating occurs mid-flight, with the queen typically mating with 10 to 20 drones over one or several flights. This process allows her to collect and store a lifetime supply of sperm in a specialized organ called the spermatheca. Storing sperm from multiple drones ensures genetic diversity within the colony, contributing to its resilience and health. Once inseminated, the queen generally does not mate again, and this flight marks the beginning of her egg-laying life.
Swarming: The Old Queen’s Departure
The second main instance of a queen bee taking flight occurs during swarming. Swarming is a natural method of colony reproduction, where an existing colony divides to form new ones. This event typically happens when a hive becomes overcrowded or the queen’s egg-laying productivity declines.
During a swarm, the old queen leaves the original hive, taking with her a significant portion of the worker bees, often about half of the colony. To prepare for this exodus, worker bees reduce the queen’s food intake, causing her to lose weight and become agile enough for sustained flight.
The queen leads the departing swarm, which initially settles in a temporary cluster, often on a nearby branch or structure. From this temporary location, scout bees find a suitable new home. Once identified, the queen flies with the swarm to establish the new colony. This flight differs from the nuptial flight in its purpose, focusing on colony propagation rather than individual mating, and involves leaving an established home rather than starting a reproductive life.