Bees produce honey from three main substances: nectar from flowering and non-flowering plants,…

Bees produce honey from three main substances: nectar from flowering and non-flowering plants, honeydew from sugary exudates primarily on tree leaves and fir needles, and honeydew secreted by aphids, scale insects, and other sap-sucking pests. All three honey sources originate from plant sap, which contains stable and unstable products of photosynthesis, including carbohydrates, amino acids, organic acids, and inorganic components. The composition of plant sap varies by species and plant part, containing different ratios of sucrose, nitrogen compounds, fats, vitamins, acids, minerals, and water.