The normal condition of any Western Honey Bee hive is that of a single, often long-lived, queen working with a large retinue of bees1, all her offspring. Together they occupy a hollow cavity of typically 30-60 litres capacity with a preference for a near-ground hive entrance2. The living component, including combs and stores, is a colony and is sometimes designated ‘a super-organism3.
The role of the colony queen
Such is the specialisation of the most advanced or eusocial4 bee
