What substance do bees use to make honey?

Bees primarily use nectar to produce honey. Nectar is a sweet liquid that flowers secrete to attract pollinators, and it serves as the main carbohydrate source for bees. When bees collect nectar, they store it in their honey stomachs, where enzymes begin the process of converting the sugars in nectar into simpler forms. Once the bees return to the hive, they regurgitate the nectar and pass it to other worker bees, who further process it and evaporate moisture by fanning their wings. This transforms the nectar into honey, which is then stored in hexagonal beeswax cells.

Water, while necessary for bees' overall hydration and health, is not the primary ingredient in honey production. Pollen plays a crucial role in a bee's diet for protein and other nutrients, but it does not directly contribute to honey. Royal jelly is a substance that worker bees create to feed larvae and the queen, and it is not involved in the process of honey making. Thus, nectar stands out as the essential component that bees utilize to create honey.