Bee bread

Bee bread is a mixture of pollen and nectar or honey. This substance is the main source of food for honey bee workers and larvae. The exact composition of the bee bread varies depending on the plants that the bees forage from. This not only changes at different locations but also with the seasons and even at different times of the day.

Scientists have found that the bees add extra secretions and micro-organisms (such as bacteria and mould) to the bee bread. These additions help break down some of the pollen and release amino acids and other nutrients from the pollen.

A photograph of a worker honeybees (Apis mellifera) on a pollen comb. Honeybees store honey and pollen on separate combs.
Photograph by Migco.

Other names for (or types of) Bee bread include:

• Ambrosia
• Bee pollen

Related terms

• Africanised honey bees
• Apiary
• Apoidea
• Beeswax
• Cerumen
• Colony Collapse Disorder
• Drone
• Eusocial
• Honey
• Honey bee
• Pollen basket
• Pollination
• Propolis
• Queen
• Queen cell
• Queen excluder
• Queen substance
• Varroa mite
• Worker

Related pages on this web site

• Bees
• Bees and Beekeeping: From simple bee-ginnings

See other words beginning with B