Bees eat honey. Can you believe it? It is definitely surprising because it is one of the rarest examples where the producer consumes its own product. Nature always presents something unique before us every now and then. There are things that we are not aware of today, that are happening around us. There are logic and reasons for why everything happens like why do bees eat honey. Read this article to know how bees are affected and what will bees eat if you steal their honey.
1. Do Bees Eat Honey?
Yes, bees eat honey. All species of bees which make honey also eat it because honey provides them with energy-laden carbohydrates. The Queen bee also eats a richer diet, which is made with honey. (Also read What do Bees eat in the Winter?)
2. Why Do Bees Eat Honey?
Bees eat honey because honey is made up of sugar which provides them with a lot of energy in the form of carbohydrates. Honeybees store honey in wax combs for the winter season for the entire colony.
3. Does Eating Honey Hurt Bees?
When humans extract honey in limited quantities from bees which they produce naturally, they do not hurt the bees. But when done forcefully, humans actually harm the bees. Industrialized honey production will hurt the bees because they are forced to produce much more honey than they would naturally. As a result, bees suffer during all stages of production. They are also made to eat sugar supplements which are harmful for their health. (Find out if bees have ears)
4. Why do Bees Make Honey if they Don’t Eat it?
Honeybees make honey to store it as food. They eat this honey over the cooler winter period when they are unable to forage and there are fewer flowers from which to gather food. So, honeybees store honey which helps the colony survive through the winter. Honey is good food for bees because it is high in sugar and is a good source of energy for bees.
5. Do Bees Need Honey to Survive?
Bees do need honey to survive because it is their food in winter. They store honey and use it as food in cooler months. Honey has every component necessary for bees to gain energy. It is required for the entire colony to survive through the winter months when there are less flowers to collect nectar. (Also read Why Do Bees Sting People?)
6. Do Bees Mind if You Take Their Honey?
You have read that bees make honey and why do bees eat honey themselves. Now, let us discuss whether bees mind if you take their honey or not. Normally, bees do not mind if you take their honey unless you hurt them.
Bee harvesting for honey is good and does not anger the bees if you are not being greedy, taking too much from them. They should be kept undisturbed while harvesting honey and enough honey should be left in the hive for bees as their food for winter months.
7. What Do Bees Do With Honey if You Don’t Take it?
You might be wondering what bees do with honey if you don’t take it. The honey which you don’t take from the beehive goes on to feed the colony in the cold winter months. Other bees and insects also steal this unused honey that remains in the hive. Bees from other colonies, who do not have honey in their hive, bring back this unused honey to their own hives. They eat this honey when they do not have their own. The extra honey which hasn’t been used is left in the hive and bees start to build upon it the next season.
8. What Do Bees Eat if You Steal Their Honey?
There are many things that bees do with honey and eating is one of them! But ever wondered what will bees eat if you steal their honey? Other than honey, bees eat nectar and pollen which they collect and store from flowers. Pollen provides them with protein whereas nectar is used in the production of honey because it is rich in carbohydrates.
In cases where they are unable to collect pollen and nectar, bees eat honey which they produce. If all their honey is taken away by the beekeepers, the beekeepers will feed the bees some sugary syrup and other sub-par nutrients to keep them alive.
9. Why Can’t Vegans Eat Honey?
Why do bees eat honey is interesting to know. Honey is produced by bees, and vegans consider it unethical to eat honey. Veganism is a way of living that aims to minimize animal cruelty and exploitation. Vegans do not eat meat, eggs, or dairy products. Vegans also avoid eating honey because, for them, bee farming is the same as other forms of animal farming.
It is considered that bee farming affects the health of bees. Honeybees eat honey during winter months, but in case of non-availability, they are made to eat alternatives like sucrose in winter months which is not as beneficial as honey. It is also studied that these sweeteners affect the immune system of bees. (Also read What are the Types of Sunflower Seeds?)
10. Why You Shouldn’t Eat Raw Honey?
Raw honey is natural honey as it exists in beehives. It is made by extracting honey from the honeycombs and pouring it over the mesh to remove the impurities from it. Although there are some benefits of eating raw honey, it shouldn’t be eaten. Raw honey contains the bacteria Clostridium Botulinum, which is harmful to children under the age of 1.
Some adults may also experience symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea after eating raw honey. There is another component called grayanotoxins present in honey which causes honey poisoning. The symptoms of this are dizziness, nausea, and a drop in blood pressure among others. These symptoms, if appeared after eating raw honey, should be reported immediately to a doctor.
11. Why Without Bees There Will No Honey and No Fruits to Eat?
There will be no honey without bees because bees produce it. Bees are one of the main agents of pollination. Without bees, no fruits will be available. Honeybees are responsible for nearly one-third of the pollination of the world’s crops. So, if there are no bees present, we would also lose all these plants which are dependent on bees for pollination.
12. Will You Starve Without Bees?
You know the answer to why do bees eat honey and how important it is for them. Eating honey allows them to work and function efficiently. Moreover, without bees, many other things will get affected. Bees are responsible for the pollination of nearly one-third of the crops present on the planet. (See What is the Color of Each Planet?)
Bees, despite being such small creatures, are miraculously amazing. So, without bees, these plants will not be able to produce fruits and seeds. This means that there will be fewer vegetables, nuts, seeds, and fruits in the world. Without bees, supermarkets will likely have less than half the amount of honey & other products to sell.
