The Production of Honey and the Work of Bees

Worker bees take 21 days to become adult insects, and they only live for about 45 days while working during peak flowering periods. Only in the last part of those days will they go out to collect nectar, pollen, water, resins for propolis, and honeydew. A teaspoon of 4 ml of honey, the size of a coffee spoon, represents the lifetime work of 10-12 bees. To gather one kilogram of honey, 2,500 bees are needed. Each worker will make between 10 and 15 flights daily, flying between 40 and 100 kilometers each day, at a maximum speed of 25 km/h, for at least 21 days.