Worker bee
They perform different tasks around the hive progressively over their lifespans in a predictable order based on their age.
Pollen carried on their bodies may be transferred to another flower, where a small portion can rub off on the pistil, resulting in cross pollination.
Nectar is sucked up through the proboscis, mixed with enzymes in the stomach, and carried back to the hive, where it is stored in wax cells and evaporated into honey.
If the chamber becomes too hot, the workers collect water or diluted nectar and deposit it around the hive, then fan the air with their wings to generate cooling by evaporation.
[5] In the wintertime, worker bees can cluster together to generate body heat to keep the brood area warm as external temperature decreases.
Worker bees are exposed to a lot more risks during the summer months when they leave the hive to forage, and therefore have a shorter relative lifespan.
[7] Honey bees begin as an egg laid by the queen in the brood nest, located near the center of the hive.
On days 6–12, nurse bees feed royal jelly, rich in vitamins, to the queen larva and drones.
Worker Bees can be assigned guard duty at the front entrance, when their stinger is mature, to protect colony from robbing.
[4] Worker bees collect nectar from flowers using their tubular mouth parts, and store it in their honey stomach.
Then, honey is produced by being further dehydrated via fanning then sealed with a wax cap, which prevents absorption of moisture from the air.
This process is repeated thousands of times to create comb in the hive, which will be used for honey production and brood space.
Unlike honey, which does not support bacterial life, stored pollen will become rancid without proper care.
[14] The walls of the hive are covered with a thin coating of propolis, a resinous substance obtained from plants.
[16] Dead bees and failed larvae must be removed from the hive to prevent disease and allow cells to be reused.
Entrance size and daily traffic also play an integral role in the number of guard bees present.
