How Is Royal Jelly Collected?

Worker bees produce royal jelly, which nourishes larvae destined to become queens.

In addition to honey, many beekeepers collect royal jelly from their colonies. The special substance contributes to the unique development of queen bees, and human beings consume it as well for its purported health benefits.

Collection

In natural conditions, worker bees create royal jelly with glands located on their heads and initially supply all larvae hatched in the colony with it. Larvae that will become queen bees develop in wax cells filled with royal jelly and receive the jelly throughout their lives, ensuring that they will be able to mate and reproduce when they mature. In colonies intended for the harvest of royal jelly, the beekeeper induces an increase in the number of larvae selected to be queens (around 50 or more) and feeds the worker bees a sufficient amount to generate large amounts of royal jelly. The beekeeper later removes the larvae from the wax cells and collects the royal jelly.

Considerations

A large number of honeybee colonies are required to harvest anything beyond a minimal amount of royal jelly. In addition, the process entails knowledge of beekeeping and skill in carefully manipulating honeybee colonies. Royal jelly must be refrigerated or frozen quickly following the harvest.

Uses and Warnings

Royal jelly has been associated with preventing weight loss, weakness following from sickness or childbirth, lowering cholesterol and liver disease. It can result in allergic reactions, ranging from mild to severe in people allergic to bee products.

References

• Bees for Development: Royal Jelly
• On Six Legs: Take Two Maggots and Call Me in the Morning
• University of Michigan Health System: Royal Jelly
• The University of Utah Genetic Science Learning Center: Nutrition and the Epigenome