What Is the Purpose of a Queen Bee?

The queen bee can live for three to five years and is the only bee with developed ovaries for reproduction. A new queen is chosen after the old one dies or has become unproductive.

Reproduction

Queen bees are essentially egg-laying machines. Upon mating with several drone (male) bees, a queen bee can produce up to 2,000 eggs per day. The fertilized eggs become worker bees while the unfertilized eggs become drone bees.

Regulation of Gender

The queen bee can decide whether to lay a female or a male egg through a sac which is connected to the egg passage tunnel. If she wants to lay a female egg, she would need to contract her muscles to release sperms that are stored in the sac to fertilize the egg.

Fosters a Sense of Community

A queen bee fosters a sense of community by emitting pheromones--a bee perfume produced by the queen bee. The presence of this odor is an indication that the queen bee is still alive and healthy and can still reliably produce babies.

References

• Backyard Beekeepers: Functions and Lifespan of Queen Bees
• Harun Yahya website: Reason why Queen Bees can Regulate Gender
• The British Beekeepers' Association: Function of Queen Bee