In this article, we will look at how the queen bee differs from the worker bee in appearance, role in the hive, number, and life cycle.
External appearance
A queen bee.
A queen is much larger than the worker bee. Its size reaches 2-2.5 cm. The body is more elongated, so that the wings do not cover the entire length of the body and look short. The legs are longer and spread out. The lower abdomen of the queen bee is pointed. The weight ranges from 18-33 grams.
A worker bee.
A worker bee is smaller. Its size reaches 1.2-1.4 cm. Because of the shorter body, the wings overlap the body. The legs are directly under the body and are almost invisible. The lower abdomen is more rounded, blunted. The weight of a worker bee is 10 grams.
Number of specimens in the hive
A queen bee.
There is only one queen in a colony. There are exceptional cases when for a very short period of time there may be two queens in a hive. But this is until one of them dies or flies away with the swarm.
A worker bee.
Worker bees are the most numerous species of bees in the hive. Their numbers vary with the strength of the family and the season. A bee colony is capable of both increasing and decreasing the number of workers. In a strong, well-developed colony, the number of worker bees can reach 100,000.
Role in the bee hive
A queen bee.
A queen bee plays a crucial role in the preservation and continuation of the colony. It is the one who lays the eggs, which turn into larvae and from which new bees emerge later on.
In the case of the death of the queen, the bees will attempt to raise a new one. If they fail to do so, the colony is doomed to extinction.
The queen also regulates the activity of the entire hive by releasing unique pheromones that are unique to her and which the bees are very good at detecting. The distribution of pheromones gives bees a signal of well-being in the hive, unites them for joint actions such as construction of honeycombs, brood rearing, harvesting honey, defence of the hive in case of need.
A worker bee.
Worker bees do most of the work in the hive:
– cleaning;
– brood rearing;
– taking care of the queen;
– build the honeycomb;
– collect pollen and nectar;
– make honey from nectar;
– seal the ripe honey with wax caps;
– seal the hive crevices with propolis;
– regulate the temperature of the hive;
– protect the hive from attack;
– search for a new hive in case of swarming;
Life span
A queen bee.
A queen bee lives the longest in the hive. Her life expectancy is up to 5 years. By the way, beekeepers use five colours to mark the queen. Of course, the queen can die earlier or the bees themselves can replace it in case of dissatisfaction with its work, but this is a matter of chance.
A worker bee.
Worker bees live in the summer months for 5-7 weeks. In winter they can live up to 8 months.
Using a sting
A queen bee.
A queen bee has a sting, but she uses it to destroy other rival queens. It is a stinger with a minimum number of barbs, so she can use it several times.
A worker bee.
A worker bee has a stinger with many barbs. It uses it once in its life for defence and in case of any danger, including human beings. After a sting, a worker bee dies.
Let’s sum it up
A honey bee queen differs from worker bees in significant ways.
| Queen bee | Worker bee | |
|---|---|---|
| External Appearance | Significantly larger. 2-2.5 cm. | Smaller 1.2-1.4 cm. |
| Number in hive | One | Up to 100,000 bees |
| Role in the bee colony | Egg-laying, regulating activity in the hive | All types of work: cleaning; – brood rearing; – take care of the queen; – build honeycombs; – collect pollen and nectar; – make honey from nectar; – seal the mature honey with lids; – seal the hive crevices with propolis; – regulate the temperature of the hive; – protect the hive from attack; – search for a new hive in case of swarming. |
| Life span | Up to 5 years | Up to 8 months |
