Bees are known for their essential role in nature and, of course, for producing honey, a sweet and nutritious food that we've enjoyed for centuries. But how often do they produce honey? Let's explore this fascinating topic and understand how the production process works.
How is honey produced?
Honey production by bees is a continuous and highly organised process that takes place as follows:
When the bee collects nectar from flowers, it stores it in an internal body structure called the "pappus". In this same structure, the nectar comes into contact with two enzymes: invertase and glucose oxidase.
When this reservoir is full, the worker bee returns to the hive and, as she flies back, the enzymes begin to transform the sugar present in the nectar. However, the process doesn't end there!
When it reaches the hive, the material transported in the reservoir is transferred to the younger bees, who process the nectar. During this processing, their enzymes continue to break down the more complex sugars present in the nectar, transforming them into simpler sugars.
This process makes the nectar easier for the bees to digest and protects it from bacteria. After this stage, the bees spread the product over the honeycombs, where the water evaporates. During this process, the bees help by flapping their wings, which further accelerates the evaporation of the water, forming a thicker syrup, which we can then call honey.
How often do bees produce honey?
Bees produce honey continuously, but the intensity varies throughout the year, depending on factors such as the climate, the availability of flowers and the natural cycle of the colony.
During the warmer seasons, such as spring and summer, bees work daily to collect nectar and produce honey. Under favourable conditions, a colony can produce up to 1.5 kg of honey a day.
Spring is the season of greatest production, due to the abundance of nectar-rich flowers. In summer production remains high, but can be affected by extreme heat or lack of rain, and in autumn and winter production slows down significantly. During the winter, the bees survive on the honey they have stored while waiting for the flowers to return.
Beekeepers harvest honey two or three times a year, depending on the region and climatic conditions. These harvests usually take place:
- In late spring
- In the middle of summer
- In some cases, at the beginning of autumn
Factors that influence the frequency of production?
The ability of bees to produce honey depends on several factors:
- Climate: In regions like Portugal, production is most intense in spring and summer.
- Flora available: The presence of nectar plants directly influences the amount of honey produced.
- Colony health: A strong colony with a healthy queen guarantees more consistent production.
- Beekeeping management: The strategic location of hives and disease control are essential for optimising production.
Curiosity about honey production
- A colony of bees needs to visit around 5 million flowers to produce 1kg of honey.
- A bee produces an average of 5 grams of honey throughout its life.
- Bees consume around 200kg of honey a year inside the hive to sustain the colony.
Bees produce honey constantly during the warmer seasons, taking advantage of the flowering periods. In winter, production slows down completely and the bees depend on the honey that is stored to survive.
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