Adopt a Bee

Here we have our adopt a bee project. Our mission and quest to help local hives that work hard to invest their time, money and efforts in helping our pollinators and bees.

We have chosen to work in collaboration with Lincolnshire Honey, based in Spalding, Lincolnshire.
They currently have 20+ hives.
By adopting a bee you are helping support Lincolnshire Honey's bees and hives by providing resources for maintenance and upkeep, such as purchasing equipment, supplies, protective gear, and additional hives.

We have a choice of bees that you can adopt.
A drone 
A worker
A queen

Each bee will have their own certification number and each bee has their own important job to do. You can read about the vital work they do below.

As well as adopting a bee and supporting Lincolnshire Honey, you will receive a pack containing the following :

A certificate of adoption with space for you to write your name or the name of who you may be gifting the pack to.
There is also space for you to name your bee. 

Your official bee number on plantable card.
Plant this to grow wildflowers.

Information about the type of bee you have adopted.

How you have helped details.

Plus 1 packet of native wildflower seeds for you to plant and encourage bees into your own outdoor space.

N.B - Your adopt a bee pack is made from entirely eco friendly and biodegradable materials. This includes the seed packet. 

DRONE BEE
Drone bees are male bees in a colony whose primary function is to mate with the queen bee. They do not have stingers and are larger than worker bees but smaller than the queen bee. Drone bees do not have the ability to collect pollen or nectar, nor do they have the ability to build beehives or produce wax.

Drone bees are raised in the early spring by the worker bees in preparation for the mating season. Once they reach sexual maturity, drone bees will leave the hive in search of virgin queens to mate with. During mating flights, drone bees will mate with multiple queens, after which they die.

Drone bees play a crucial role in the reproductive cycle of honeybee colonies, as they are responsible for transferring genetic material from one colony to another. This genetic diversity is essential for the health and survival of honeybee populations. However, once the mating season is over, drone bees are typically expelled from the hive by the worker bees as they are no longer needed.

WORKER BEE
Worker bees are female bees that make up the majority of the population in a honeybee colony. They are responsible for carrying out various tasks that are essential for the survival of the colony. Worker bees are non-reproductive and do not have the ability to lay eggs.

Worker bees have different roles based on their age. When they are young, they work as nurse bees, taking care of the developing larvae in the hive. As they mature, they transition to other tasks such as cleaning, building and repairing the hive, foraging for nectar and pollen, and defending the hive from predators.

Worker bees live for about 6 weeks in the summer and can live longer during the winter when they are more inactive. Their hard work and cooperation are crucial for the success of the colony, as they are responsible for collecting food, maintaining the hive, and caring for the queen bee and the younger bees. Without the tireless efforts of worker bees, the colony would not survive.


QUEEN BEE
Queen bees are the largest and most important members of a honeybee colony. They are the only fully developed females in the colony and are responsible for laying eggs to produce the next generation of bees.

Queen bees have a longer lifespan than worker bees, with some queens living up to five years. They are able to lay up to 2,000 eggs per day during the height of the breeding season. The queen bee emits pheromones that help regulate the behaviour and activity of the other bees in the colony.

If a queen bee dies or becomes unable to fulfil her duties, the worker bees will begin the process of creating a new queen by feeding a developing larva with royal jelly and constructing a special queen cell around it. Once the new queen emerges, she will usually fight and kill any other potential rival queens before taking over as the leader of the colony.

Queen bees are essential for the survival and continued growth of a honeybee colony, as they are responsible for producing the eggs that will develop into the next generation of worker bees and drones.