The Potting Shed: Get to know the amazing honeybee

Last week, I was totally amazed by the number of honeybees that had taken over several of my large holly bushes while they collected pollen.

I thought that maybe we need a little more knowledge about bees and, therefore, bring this information to you. As we learn more about bees, we find a valuable asset to farmers.

The honeybee is primary in the pollination of our crops and in the production of a major food source for humans. In recent years, we have noted a steady decline in numbers of native bees available for this purpose and are working to protect the native honeybee from numbers of natural enemies.

In each bee colony, there is only one queen for which the whole hive exists. All activity in the hive is guided toward maintaining this queen bee. She is the mother of all bees in the hive and she produces chemicals called pheromones with which the colony communicates between all members. Hives are from 30,000 to more than 50,000 bees strong.

Drones are male bees, which develop from unfertilized eggs the queen lays. Drones cannot sting and do not have the ability to gather pollen. They represent 1 percent of all bees. Their only function is to mate with a virgin queen to set up a new hive, after which they are kicked out of the hive, along with any other drones produced that are now obsolete.

Female worker bees develop from fertilized eggs and perform all the work needed to keep the hive going, such as pollen collection, baby tending and storing of provisions for winter. They are also hive protectors, preventing other insects and animals from entering the hive. They are wholly responsible for the transformation of nectar into honey.

Each beehive has its own queen, and the hive exists due to the production of the queen's daughters. The daughters are the workforces of the hive and it's principle occupants. Man considers honeybees as friendly, in spite of stings that may be sustained from our association with them.

The end product - honey - is a major food source for humans, and the queen's working daughters play a major role in agriculture that supports all of mankind.

Bob Johnson is a Lenoir County Master Gardener.