The Importance of the Queen Bee

If you’re not aware of the importance of the queen bee to the beehive, you should! Understanding the queen bee will help you understand bees in general. To help you better appreciate this crucial element of the bee world, we have provided you with some insight and knowledge regarding the importance of the queen bee.

The Role of the Queen Bee

Overall, the queen bee is one of the largest bees—if not the largest bee—in the entire colony. She’s also the only female with fully developed ovaries, meaning the colony needs her to reproduce. Because she’s the only one in the colony with the ability to lay eggs, that is her primary job. The only other job she has is producing chemical scents that regulate the unity of the whole colony.

Can the Queen Bee Be Replaced?

The colony never wants to get into a situation where it doesn’t have a queen bee. Queen bees can live for two or more years; however, the colony always wants to be prepared. Replacing the queen bee when she has begun to age is the safe way to go. It keeps the hive productive and healthy.

How To Requeen Your Hive

If you’re a beekeeper and you’ve identified the need to requeen your hive, doing so as soon as possible is the way to go. One way to do this is to simply purchase a new queen. When she arrives, you’ll then use special beekeeping equipment to remove the old queen, which is the strategic move to make. Some beekeepers keep the old queen alive; others do not.

You can tell from these points that the queen bee is important to the hive. Understanding the importance of the queen bee and identifying how you can replace her within your hive is crucial.