Meet the Queen Bees: How Orland Fuels CA’s Almond Industry

Common Bee FAQs

• What Happens If Bees Disappear?

Although we hate to think about this reality, let’s talk about the detrimental chain reaction that would ensue if bee populations were to become scarce or altogether extinct. 

If bee populations collapse, then the transportation of pollen would decline and eventually stop. This would lead to a drastic decline in crop yields, causing food prices to skyrocket and nutritional diversity to decrease. This would negatively impact our nation’s general health and economy, and some foods and products would disappear entirely.

Along with this, wildlife populations would eventually decline and natural ecosystems would degrade, resulting in a dramatically less colorful, diverse, vibrant and healthy world. 

In short, losing bees means risking the stability of our food supply and our natural world.

• Why are Queen Bees Important to Bee Populations?

You can think of queen bees as the sticky glue (or honey) that holds the health and survival of the hive together. 

• The queen bee is the only female bee in the hive capable of laying eggs. 
• She is responsible for producing all of the hive's new workers, drones, and future queens.
• The queen bee’s genetic material is passed down to all the bees in the hive, so the health of the queen directly impacts the entire colony. 
• Queen bees are also integral to the process of swarming. 
• When a colony becomes too large, the old queen will leave with a group of worker bees to form a new colony, thus continuing the reproduction cycle.

A healthy, productive queen ensures that the colony remains stable, resilient, and able to perform essential tasks like pollination. 

• Can any Female Bee Become a Queen Bee?

No, not every female bee can become a queen bee, but any female larva can potentially become a queen under the right conditions. The difference between a queen bee and a worker bee comes down to diet during development.

Queen larvae are fed royal jelly exclusively for their entire larval stage. Worker larvae are fed royal jelly for only a couple of days, then switched to a mix of pollen and nectar. This royal jelly triggers genetic expression that allows a larva to fully develop reproductive organs and become a queen.

The Buzz Around Queen Bee Production

Thank goodness for hubs like Orland that are a sanctuary for queen bee production, with local businesses like Olivarez Honey Bees operating since 1965. These queens aren’t just raised for local use—they’re cared for and then sent to beekeepers throughout California and across the U.S. 

These queen bees play a crucial role in building and maintaining healthy hives, ensuring strong, productive colonies ready to pollinate crops and produce honey—and Orland plays a critical role in this vital process.