Worker bees in a hive perform a variety of tasks to keep the hive running smoothly and efficiently. Here are some of the main tasks that worker bees perform:
- Foraging: Worker bees leave the hive to search for nectar and pollen from flowers. They use their sense of smell and the position of the sun to navigate to good sources of food.
- Building and maintaining the hive: Worker bees construct the hive’s wax comb, which is used to store the honey and house the eggs, larvae, and pupae. They also repair and maintain the hive structure.
- Regulating the hive’s temperature: Worker bees use their wings to create a breeze within the hive, which helps to keep the temperature at a constant level. They also cluster around the queen and the young bees to keep them warm.
- Caring for the young: Worker bees feed the young bees with a special food called “bee bread,” which is a mixture of pollen and nectar. They also clean the hive and remove any dead bees or debris.
- Defending the hive: Worker bees defend the hive from predators and parasites. They use their stingers to attack intruders and release a chemical called “alarm pheromone” to alert other bees to the threat.
- Communicating with each other: Worker bees use a series of dances to communicate the location of food sources to other bees in the hive. They also use pheromones to communicate with each other and coordinate their activities
