Worker Bees do all the chores in a honeybee colony except lay eggs. All workers are females, but are smaller than the queen. The worker has a long tongue for gathering nectar, and uses its hind legs to carry pollen.

The youngest workers clean empty cells, care for the young, help build the comb, and take care of the nectar. "Adolescent" workers (about two weeks of age) collect nectar, pollen, and water for the hive.

The Queen bee lays all the eggs in a hive. In fact, laying eggs is the queen's only job. She is fed and cared for by workers.

Drones, or male bees, do no work, and have no sting. They develop from unfertilized eggs. The only function of a drone is to mate with a young queen. In autumn, when the honey flow is over, the workers let the drones starve to death.

Questions or comments about this page?

This page was last updated on June 19, 2018.