Bees need nectar and water to make honey. They need a place to live, such as the hive. They also need pollen. Adult bees don’t need much pollen. However, bee larvae need lots of pollen because of the high protein content.

Bees have other needs too. They need vitamins, carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and minerals. They require each of these to raise healthy new bees. This, in turn, means raising healthy young workers and eventually foragers. These requirements all play a key role in the continuation of a thriving colony.

While nectar is a key building block for honey, pollen is a vital component for bee’s health in general. When bees arrive back at the hive with pollen caught in their hairs, it must be “processed”. Pollen is for the larvae, instead of the adult bees. Adult bees will eat some of it for protein but larvae need it for their formation as they transform into adult bees.

When a bee arrives with pollen, it will be stored within the hive for later use as a protein source. Bees will also collect juice from plant sources and dust from animal feed, if necessary, to store as a future protein source if sufficient pollen is not available.

Bees eat differently, depending on their type and age. They all receive Vitamin B complex and Vitamin C nutrients from honey and pollen, but get their protein differently. The queen, males (drones), and larvae get their protein through a substance called royal jelly. It is a secretion that worker bees give off. Worker bees usually get their protein from what they are collecting and storing for a later date.

Bees are survivalist and will find what they need in one form or another.