Last updated on September 21st, 2023 at 12:28 pm
Yes, bees can fart just like humans! Honeybees ingest pollen which is passed down into their honey stomachs and middle gut to be digested. Digested matter travels to the hindgut to be expelled as excrement, any air present in the fecal matter at the time of expulsion will become a bee fart.
How do bees fart?
Bees much like all other multicellular animals will have air present in all parts of their body including fecal matter.
A fart is defined as the expulsion of wind or air from the anus.
As pollen slowly travels through the digestive system it will mix with air present inside the bee’s middle/hindgut and honey stomach.
As a bee defecates this air will naturally be expelled alongside.
Where do bees fart?
Bees are incredibly hygienic insects with the cleanliness of the hive or nest being of paramount importance to the colony’s overall health.
Due to this, female worker bees will actually leave the hive to defecate/poo and fart.
Worker bees can only take flight when temperatures rise above 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
If temperatures consistently stay below55 degrees Fahrenheit, worker bees are unable to leave the hive to defecate which can lead to constipation, not unlike that experienced by humans.
Extended periods of constipation can lead to considerable health issues and eventually death if the worker bees are unable to leave the hive for several days.
As temperatures decrease during the day, worker bees will opt to poo closer and closer to the hive to reduce the risk of freezing from the cold.
Interestingly the Queen, larva, and drones will defecate within the colony, leaving the worker bees to ensure any waste is removed from the hive.
Workers’ bees will then use an antimicrobial resin to coat the floors and walls of the hive. Beekeepers often refer to this substance as Propolis.
The addition of Propolis to the interior of the hive helps minimize the risk of infection and disease within the colony.
What do bee farts smell like?
The amount of air expelled from a bee while pooping is so small that the human nose is unable to even register the smell.
Based on the honeybee’s diet of nectar and pollen and nectar’s considerable sugar content we can only assume that bee farts must smell like flowers!
Do bees fart on flowers?
Yes, worker bees will always leave the hive to defecate and normally while flying so there is a very good chance that a bee will fart on a flower at some point in its lifespan.
How do bees defecate?
When a bee defecates or poops, it will open its rectum and interior muscles within the bee’s abdomen will then push waste through the colon and out of the anus.
For worker bees, this will always occur outside of the nest or colony and will normally occur mid-flight.
As mentioned previously the Queen, drones, and larvae will all defecate in the hive or nest for safety with the worker bees tasked with removal and cleaning of any faecal matter.
Healthy honeybee poop is yellow, sticky substance that can be found in droplets, small sausages, or splatters in a considerable range around the hive or nest.
Introduce kids and young adults to the wonderful world of bees with our fascinating facts about bees for kids and a FREE PDF download.
In conclusion
Do bees fart? Yes they do, now you’ve learned all about bee waste management and you know bees do fart on a micro-scale why not check out some of our other short reads below to find out more about the wonderful world of bees.
