What Makes a Queen Bee a Queen? Scientists Just Discovered It's Not Just What She Eats
Every colony of bees is overseen by a queen who produces all the colony's eggs, but what makes a queen bee a queen?
For decades, biologists believed that queen bee development was a result of the consumpion of royal jelly, but a new study published on June 3 in Nature scientific journal found that where a queen develops and who surrounds her may play just as important of a role. We spoke with Boris Baer, UC Riverside entomology professor and co-author of the study, to discover more about how queen bees are made.
Are Queen Bees Genetically Different?
Despite growing up to be much larger with faster maturation and a longer lifespan, queen are genetically identical to drone and worker bees.
As Professer Baer explains, this is called phenotypic plasticity. It occurs when a species' genetic code is able to produce individuals with two or more distinct physical traits, typically influenced by something in the environment.
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"The developmental differences begin very early in larval life, when queen-destined larvae receive a different diet (known as royal jelly) and, as our study suggests, develop within a specialized physical and chemical environment," says Professor Baer. "These environmental differences trigger changes in gene expression and epigenetic regulation, ultimately setting larvae on a different developmental path."
It's Not Just Royal Jelly-Queen Bees Need a Royal Nursery, Too
Until recently, scientists believed that a special kind of nutrient-rich food called royal jelly was responsible for queen bee development. It certainly does play a role, but this study found that where a queen grows up can be just as important.
While worker bees grow up in hexagonal-shaped cells in the bees' hive, queens are reared in peanut-shaped cells coated in a special wax. The fatty acids and chemical properties of the wax make it "less dense, more pliable, and better able to maintain warmth and moisture for developing larvae."
Meet the 'Queen Cell Builders' - the Bees Scientists Didn't Know Existed
The study also revealed a new kind of bee called the 'queen cell builders,' who also had physical differences from the rest of the worker bees. These individuals were younger, with a higher body temperature and the unique ability to change the way their bodies work while helping a developing queen.
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Professor Baer explains, "They show distinct patterns of gene expression, particularly in genes involved in wax synthesis and fatty acid metabolism. They also maintain unusually high body temperatures. In simple terms, these bees appear to turn into a highly specialized experts (royal guards) that allows them to modify and enrich the wax used for queen development."
This specialized environment helps future queens grow larger and faster, all while maintaining a longer lifespan that keeps colonies safe and stable for several generations at once. Still, scientists are only beginning to uncover the deepest secets of honeybee colonies and the queens who keep the hives running smoothly.
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This story was originally published June 16, 2026 at 6:40 AM.