how are queen bees made

In every honeybee colony, there is only one queen, which is considered the mother of all bees in the hive. She’s responsible for laying eggs and maintaining the colony’s population. Interestingly, all queen bees start as ordinary fertilized eggs, the same as worker bees. But how does one bee become the queen among thousands? The answer lies in genetics, diet, and hive behavior.

When and Why Bees Make a New Queen

It might surprise you to learn that there’s only one queen bee in the entire colony. You may wonder why these tiny creatures even need a queen or what makes her so important to the hive. The simple answer to this question is to ensure the colony’s survival. The queen is the only bee in the hive capable of laying fertilized eggs that produce workers and future queens.

Most beekeepers misbelieve that the queen controls everything in the colony. However, the reality is not that. All decisions in a bee colony are made by the worker bees, not by the queen. The queen’s role is mainly to lay eggs and release pheromones that maintain colony harmony and fertility control. Her unique scent, called the queen pheromone, allows guard bees to identify members of their own hive.

Although worker bees have small ovaries, they remain inactive due to the queen’s pheromone. If the colony loses its queen and fails to raise a new one, some workers may begin laying eggs, but since they cannot mate, they produce only males. Without a fertile queen, the colony eventually dies out.

Queens live much longer than workers or drones, which you can explore more in our guide on the lifespan of different bees.

When to Replace an Old Queen

Now comes the question: when is it time for bees to replace an old queen? Worker bees constantly monitor the queen’s health through her pheromones and behavior. If she’s aging or no longer laying enough fertile eggs, the workers begin preparing to raise a new queen.

Another reason that might compel the bees to raise a new queen is when the colony is preparing to swarm. When the hive becomes overcrowded, the workers sense it’s time to split the colony. They begin raising new queens while putting the old queen on a diet to make her light enough to fly.

On a warm day, she leaves the hive with about half the worker bees to form a new colony, a process known as swarming. The new queen remains behind to lead the original hive. Sometimes, smaller swarms form if multiple queens survive, each starting a new hive. This topic has been discussed in detail in a later section.

What Decides if a Female Bee Becomes a Queen?

Every female bee starts the same genetically. What makes the difference is the diet during the larval stage. Worker larvae are fed a small amount of royal jelly for a few days, then switched to honey and pollen. Queen larvae, however, are fed royal jelly exclusively throughout their development and are raised in larger cells known as queen cups.

This continuous diet of royal jelly, which is rich in hormones and nutrients, activates the queen’s reproductive organs, making her fertile.

What Is Royal Jelly and How Is It Made?

Royal jelly is a milky, nutrient-rich secretion produced by young worker bees. It comes from special glands in their heads and is made using enzymes and stored fat. It’s rich in proteins, vitamins, and hormones.

All larvae receive a small amount of royal jelly at first, but future queens are bathed in it continuously, transforming them from ordinary larvae into royalty.

Recent biological studies show that it’s not just what queen larvae are fed, but what they’re not fed, specifically pollen. Pollen contains p-coumaric acid, a compound that prevents normal ovary development. This constant royal jelly diet triggers hormonal and genetic changes that allow the larvae to grow into a fertile queen instead of a sterile worker.

Building the Queen Cell

When preparing to raise a queen, worker bees build special vertical cells called queen cups or queen cells. These cells are peanut-shaped, larger than normal brood cells, and hang downward from the comb.

Queen cell is necessary because:

• It gives the larva a private and protected space to grow.
• It helps maintain temperature during her transformation.
• The queen cell allows nurse bees to keep feeding their royal jelly constantly.
• It ensures she can develop without disturbance.

Development Timeline

The development from egg to queen takes about 15–16 days, which is faster than a worker bee (21 days).

• Days 1–3: Egg stage.
• Days 4–8: Larval stage, fed exclusively on royal jelly.
• Days 9–15: Pupal stage, sealed inside the queen cell.
• Day 16: The new queen emerges.

The transformation from egg to queen is just one part of the fascinating life cycle of bees that keeps the colony thriving.

The Fight for the Throne

Usually, multiple queens are raised at once, but only one survives. The first queen to emerge seeks out the other developing queens and kills them with her stinger before they hatch. She often makes a special buzzing sound called piping. This sound lets the hive know she’s here and also challenges any other virgin queens still trapped inside their cells. Sometimes, if two queens emerge at once, they fight to the death. This victorious queen becomes the new ruler of the hive.

After this intense period, the hive gradually calms down. The new queen begins to spread her scent, known as pheromones, which helps the worker bees recognize and accept her as their leader. It takes a little time before she fully settles in and starts her royal duties.

The Queen’s Mating Flight

A few days after emerging, the young queen takes her maiden flight. She flies high into the sky, followed by a group of male bees (drones) attracted by her pheromones. During the flight, she mates with multiple male bees, called drones, high in the sky. She stores their sperm in her body, called the spermatheca, for life, using it gradually over several years.

After one or two mating flights, the queen returns to her hive permanently. She will never leave again unless the hive swarms. Within about 10–12 days, she begins laying eggs up to 2,000 per day.

 The queen bee lays two types of eggs.

• Fertilized eggs → Become female bees (workers or queens).
• Unfertilized eggs → Become male bees (drones).

The drones are mainly responsible for mating and don’t contribute to hive work. They die soon after mating, fulfilling their only purpose. Only female eggs have the potential to become queens.

Raising Queen in a Natural Way

Learning how bees naturally raise new queens helps us understand how beekeepers can guide or manage the process when needed. There are three main natural ways a colony produces a new queen: swarming, supersedure, and emergency rearing.

Swarming

Swarming happens when a strong and healthy colony becomes too crowded. To solve this, the old queen departs the hive with about half of the worker bees to start a new colony somewhere else. Before leaving, the workers build several queen cells in the original hive so that a new queen can take over once the old one is gone.

Swarming usually starts because the hive runs out of space or the queen’s scent doesn’t spread evenly anymore due to the large population. You can often spot swarm cells hanging along the bottom edge of the comb.

Supersedure

Supersedure occurs when the colony decides it’s time to replace an old, weak, or injured queen. In this case, the workers raise a new queen while the old one is still alive but not laying eggs properly. The reason is often a drop in the queen’s pheromone levels or a poor egg-laying pattern.

Supersedure cells are easy to recognize. There are usually just a few of them, and they’re built right on the flat face of the comb instead of the edges.

Emergency Queen Rearing

Sometimes, a hive can suddenly lose its queen, maybe because she died or was accidentally crushed. When that happens, the workers act fast. They pick young larvae from regular worker cells and turn them into queens by feeding them royal jelly and building special queen cells around them.

However, emergency queens are often not as strong or healthy as those raised through swarming or supersedure. That’s because the larvae chosen are usually a bit too old to receive the full benefits of royal jelly from the start.

How Beekeepers Raise Queen Bees

Beekeepers often step in to raise new queens on purpose. They do this to replace an aging or weak queen, start new colonies, or even sell queens to other beekeepers. There are several ways to raise queens, from simple natural methods to more controlled techniques using special tools.

Grafting

Grafting is the most common and popular way beekeepers raise new queens. In this method, the beekeeper carefully moves very young larvae, less than a day old, from regular worker cells into small artificial queen cups. These cups are then placed inside a strong colony, known as a starter colony, where worker bees begin feeding the larvae royal jelly and caring for them as future queens.

The primary advantage of grafting is that it enables beekeepers to select larvae from colonies that exhibit desirable traits, such as gentle behavior, high honey production, or resistance to diseases. This process helps in the creation of strong, high-quality queens. Beekeepers commonly utilize specialized grafting tools, such as the Chinese grafting tool or the European grafting tool, to safely transfer the delicate larvae.

Beekeepers often move colonies for better forage or safety reasons, and the process of how to move beehives requires careful timing and skill.

Queen Rearing Systems

Some beekeepers prefer using queen rearing systems like the Jenter or Nicot systems. These kits are made of plastic and allow the queen bee to lay eggs directly into removable cell cups. This means there’s no need for manual grafting, making the process easier and safer for the larvae.

These systems are great for beginners since they reduce handling and lower the risk of damaging young larvae. They make queen rearing more organized and beginner-friendly while still producing healthy queens.

Splits and Nucs

Another simple way to raise queens is through splits or nucleus colonies, also known as “nucs.” In this method, the beekeeper divides a strong hive into smaller colonies. If one of these new colonies doesn’t have a queen, the worker bees will naturally raise one using young larvae from the brood.

This process closely mimics natural swarming and is easy for both bees and beekeepers. It’s a low-stress, natural way to encourage queen production without much interference.

Factors That Affect Queen Quality

The quality of a queen depends on several important factors. Nutrition plays a huge role. Colonies need plenty of pollen and nectar to raise strong queens. The genetics of the parent queen also matter, as do the overall health and strength of the hive.

Beekeepers should always select larvae from healthy, productive colonies to ensure the best results. It’s also important to follow trusted practices recommended by local beekeeping associations or university extension programs, such as the Bee Informed Partnership or Penn State Extension.

By understanding and applying these methods, beekeepers can successfully raise strong, long-lived queens that keep their colonies thriving.

If you ever find a hive forming near your home, knowing how to remove bees safely and responsibly can prevent harm to both you and the colony.

The End of a Queen’s Reign

A queen remains fertile as long as her stored sperm lasts. When it runs out, she can no longer produce female bees, and the hive prepares to replace her. In nature, the old queen may be killed or driven out, while beekeepers usually replace her manually, as discussed in the section on grafting.

In this process, they move tiny young larvae into small artificial cups that hang downward, just like natural queen cells. The worker bees then feed these larvae royal jelly to turn them into queens. After about ten days, the sealed cells are placed in small boxes where the new queens can hatch, mate, and later be used to replace old queens in other hives.

If the queen’s story inspires you to keep your own hive, our beginner’s guide on how to start beekeeping will walk you through every step.