mehiläisyhteisö

A mehiläisyhteisö, or bee colony, is a complex social unit comprising thousands to tens of thousands of individual honeybees. These colonies are typically found within a hive or natural cavity and are characterized by a highly organized division of labor. The core of the colony is the queen bee, whose primary role is reproduction. She is usually the only fertile female in the colony and can lay hundreds or even thousands of eggs per day.

The vast majority of the colony consists of female worker bees. These workers are sterile and perform all the tasks necessary for the colony's survival, including foraging for nectar and pollen, building and maintaining the honeycomb, caring for the young, defending the hive, and regulating the hive's temperature. Their lifespan varies depending on the season, with summer bees living only a few weeks while winter bees can live for several months.

The third caste in a mehiläisyhteisö is the male drones. Drones are sexually mature males whose sole purpose is to mate with a virgin queen from another colony. They do not participate in hive tasks and are often expelled from the colony before winter to conserve resources. The success of a mehiläisyhteisö relies on the harmonious cooperation and communication among its members, ensuring the colony's survival and propagation.