Honeybee Nectar Transport: The Role of the Honey Stomach

Honey bees have a specialized organ called a honey stomach, or crop, which they use to carry nectar back to the hive. The honey stomach is a thin-walled, expandable sac located in the abdomen of the bee. When a bee finds a flower with nectar, it will extend its long, straw-like proboscis into the flower and suck up the nectar. The nectar is then stored in the honey stomach, where it is mixed with enzymes that begin to break down the sugars in the nectar.

When the bee returns to the hive, it will regurgitate the nectar into the mouths of other worker bees, who will further process it into honey. The bees will fan the nectar with their wings to evaporate the water content, and then they will store the honey in cells in the hive. The honey will then be used as food by the bees throughout the year.