Did you know that every single hive has its own queen, aka the “mother” for beekeepers, exclusively fed on royal jelly from the beginning to the end of her life?

She lives for 3–4 years and is the only member of the hive capable of laying eggs.

About one week after her birth, she takes her first flight outside the hive to mate with 8–10 drones. This flight takes place in the early afternoon and only when the weather is favorable; otherwise, the flight is “cancelled”. This “honeymoon” trip lasts up to 20 minutes, during which the queen collects a few sperm from each drone and stores it for the rest of her life. She returns to the hive and assumes duties three days later.

Did you know she may lay up to 1,500 eggs per day?

Worker bees then start taking care of her and attending to her needs. When laying eggs, the queen first places her head inside each cell (probably to inspect it) and if the cell is empty, she turns and places her abdomen inside the cell in order to lay an egg. The egg may develop into either a drone or a worker bee, depending on whether it is fertilized or not. If destined to become a worker, it is fed honey to grow. If fed a plentiful supply of royal jelly, it will turn into a queen.