8.2 What Is Honey?

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8.2 What Is Honey?

Honey is a thick, sugary, fluid produced by bees and made of nectar collected from flowers. One honey bee will produce only 1/12 teaspoon of honey during its lifetime. So one pound of honey is the life's work of about 560 bees.

PennStateExtension+OLC-1006+2017+type@asset+block/S8_iStock_000019857420Small.jpg" alt="Bees on a frame. The thick fluid in the combs is honey." style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; vertical-align: middle; max-width: 100%; line-height: 1.4em; height: auto;">
Bees scurry about on a comb filled with uncapped honey.

One honey bee will produce only 1/12 teaspoon of honey during its lifetime.

 

Do Other Insects Produce Honey?

Other insects, especially ants, some wasps, and other species of bees, also produce honey (or sweet, nectar-derived fluids), but not of the quality or quantity produced by the honey bee.

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Honey Composition

Honey consists of:

  • up to 75% sugar, specifically fructose and glucose
  • water, the second largest component
  • small amounts of at least 22 other sugars
  • acids and minerals
Most of the sugars found in honey are not present in nectar; they are formed as a result of enzymes added by the honey bee and the chemical reaction that occurs during the production process.
 
PennStateExtension+OLC-1006+2017+type@asset+block/S8_iStock_000019279231Small.jpg" alt="A bee collecting nectar from a red flower" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; vertical-align: middle; max-width: 100%; line-height: 1.4em; height: auto;">
A bee gathers nectar, the key building block of honey.
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How Do Bees Make Honey?

Now watch the video below for an overview of the fascinating process of how bees make honey.

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What Is Honey? (Runtime 1:20)

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