Humidity and temperature are two factors that must be maintained for optimal bee health.įor example, broods must be maintained at 34 degrees Celsius during the spring or summer. ClimateĪs the climate changes, as does the honeybee’s life cycle, which we have already started to see worldwide. Many factors influence the answer to, “ What is the lifespan of a bee? “įrom pesticides to climate change, there are many things to consider when owning a hive. What Human Borne Factors Affect Honey Bee Lifespan? Managed hives might require a new queen every two years, mostly if the current productivity is low. With an average lifespan of up to five years in a self-sustaining hive, they far outlive any workers or drone bees by years. Which Honeybee Lives Longer?īy far, the queen bee lasts the longest out of the hive, but she needs to ensure she follows through with her job. Their attention will be directed solely to the new queen, leaving the old one to waste away. If the queen isn’t laying enough eggs, the worker bees will start to develop a new queen to replace her. Worker bees are just as critical of their queen as they are of drones, keeping an eye on her to make sure she’s working. Winter is one of the most crucial times for queen bees since her survival depends on her hive. There are rare instances where queen bees have lived up to seven years. On average, queen bees can live between two and five years, depending on their hive. Unfertilized eggs will turn into male drones. Fertilized eggs turn into females, which could be workers or queens. Queens can lay up to 2,000 eggs per day in the hive since she stores enough sperm to fertilize for her entire lifetime.Īnother exciting aspect of queen bees is their fertilization determines the gender and purpose of the bee. How Long Do Queens Live?ĭepending on your view, queen bees are the most important bee in the hive, and they have the most extended lifespan.Īfter their pupal stage, queen bees fly to mate with 20+ drones and then return to their hive to lay eggs. On average, a drone’s lifespan is eight weeks in total. Most drone bees are likely to die from starvation or cold, especially if they’re unsuccessful maters. Interestingly enough, if they are successful with their venture, they die within minutes or hours. They then return to the hive if they are unable to mate with the queen. This decision causes them to die during the winter, especially as worker bees need to preserve their resources.ĭrone bees leave their hive six days after exiting the pupal stage, going to drone congregations. You’ll often find the worker bees will kill the drones or kick them out of the hive. If a drone bee fails to mate, they become a waste of important resources with their fate in the workers’ hands. Their sole purpose is to mate with the queen however, many worker bees see drones as a waste of hive resources. They don’t produce wax, offer food, or feed the young. These issues occur because they exhaust themselves foraging pollen, nectar, and recruiting more foragers.Īlthough it’s challenging to track, your worker bees can die after flying 500 miles in their lifetime.ĭrone bees don’t have a significant purpose when it comes to the hive, at least not like worker bees. For example, their wings will be ragged, so they’ll fly slower than usual.

On the other hand, overwintering bees can last up to six months because there’s less work for them to do.ĭuring the end of their life cycle, you’ll see significant changes in their physical appearance. When in an active season, you can expect your worker bees to die within five to six weeks. There are plenty of different jobs that worker bees are responsible for, including collecting nectar, scouting for pollen, and building the hives.Īs their name suggests, worker bees continually work until their death. There’s no doubt that worker bees hold their weight in a colony, affecting their longevity. Each type of bee will have a specific honey bee lifespan, which is also influenced by many factors. There are a few vital characters that go into the healthy maintenance of a hive. Understanding the honey bee’s life cycle can help ensure your gardens are pollinated. Honey bees are great additions to your homestead. Answering, “ How long do honey bees live? ” can help you understand your hive better.Īs a beginner beekeeper, you’ll need to know your colony’s phases and the life cycle’s ins and outs.

Drone bee life span