Fat Bees Skinny Bees «FRESH | 2027»

If you’ve been in beekeeping circles for a while, you’ve likely heard the catchy phrase While it sounds like a children's book title, it actually refers to a cornerstone of honey bee biology and a famous manual on bee nutrition by Doug Somerville .

A "fat bee" isn't just one that ate too much honey. In beekeeping, "fat" refers to the , a vital organ in the bee's abdomen that functions similarly to a human liver. Fat Bees Skinny Bees

: These fat stores allow nurse bees to produce high-quality royal jelly to feed the first generation of spring larvae even before the first flowers bloom. The Perils of the "Skinny Bee" If you’ve been in beekeeping circles for a

: While "skinny" summer bees only live about 4–6 weeks, "fat" winter bees (also called diutinus bees) can live up to 6–9 months to see the colony through the cold season. : These fat stores allow nurse bees to

Understanding the difference between a "fat" bee and a "skinny" one is often the deciding factor in whether your colony thrives through the spring or collapses before the first thaw. What is a "Fat Bee"?