The Fascinating World of Honey Bee Colonies

Honey bees are truly fascinating creatures, living in tightly organised colonies with a clear social structure. Each colony has its own rhythm and purpose, adapting beautifully to Ireland’s seasons. Let’s take a closer look at the roles of the bees and how they work together throughout the year to ensure their hive thrives.

The Structure of a Honey Bee Colony

At the centre of every hive is one very special bee—the queen. She is supported by thousands of female worker bees and a few hundred male drones. Together, they form a busy, efficient colony that runs like clockwork.

Foraging and Life Through the Seasons

From early spring to autumn, Irish honey bee colonies are hard at work raising young bees (brood) and storing food in waxy honeycombs. These combs hold their precious stores of nectar and pollen, which will see them through the colder months.

In the height of summer, colonies can reach up to 60,000 bees. If the colony grows too large, they may swarm—where the old queen and part of the colony leave to form a new hive. A new queen then takes charge of the original hive.

As the days grow shorter and temperatures drop, the colony’s size reduces to around 15,000–20,000. These winter bees huddle together to keep warm and rely on their stored honey to survive until spring returns.

Bee Strains in Ireland

Ireland is home to the native Irish honey bee (Apis mellifera mellifera), also known as the Irish black bee. This resilient bee is well-adapted to Ireland’s cooler, damp climate, making it a fantastic forager even in unpredictable weather. The European honey bee (Apis mellifera) is also commonly found, with each strain bringing its own unique traits in colour, temperament, and disease resistance.

Roles Within the Colony

1. The Queen: The Heart of the Hive
   The queen is the largest bee in the colony and the only one that lays eggs—up to 2,000 a day during peak summer. She decides whether to fertilise each egg, determining if it will become a worker or a drone. After a mating flight with several drones, the queen’s role is to ensure the survival of the hive, and she can live up to two years.
2. Worker Bees: The Colony’s Caretakers
   Worker bees handle every job in the colony except egg-laying. Their responsibilities change with age:
   • Young bees clean cells and feed the brood.
   • Middle-aged bees produce wax, build honeycombs, and manage food storage.
   • Older bees are the foragers, collecting nectar and pollen to sustain the hive.
     In summer, worker bees live for around six weeks. In winter, their lifespan extends to six months as they help keep the hive warm and the queen safe.
3. Drones: The Mating Bees
   Drones are male bees with just one job—to mate with a virgin queen during her flight. They don’t forage or assist with hive tasks and rely on worker bees for food. After mating, drones die. Those who haven’t mated are usually expelled from the hive before winter begins.
4. Winter Bees: The Guardians of Survival
   Winter bees aren’t a separate type, but they play a vital role in helping the colony survive the harsh Irish winters. These bees develop fat stores and produce a protein called vitellogenin, which allows them to care for any young bees even without fresh pollen. Their strength and preparation are essential for the colony’s survival.

Honey bee colonies are incredible communities, each working in harmony to survive and thrive. Their ability to adapt to seasonal changes in Ireland is a testament to their resilience and importance to our environment. By understanding their roles and seasonal rhythms, we can deepen our appreciation for these marvellous pollinators that play such a vital role in nature’s balance.