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Are All Bees Male or Female?

Are All Bees Male or Female?

If you’ve ever watched a busy hive in action or spotted bees darting between flowers, you might wonder—are all bees male? It’s a common question we get from curious clients during our bee removal and relocation work, and the answer often surprises people. At The Other Bee Guy, we specialize in safe, humane bee hive relocation, and understanding the roles of bees is crucial to what we do every day.

Let’s dive into the fascinating world inside the hive and answer this age-old question.

The Basic Roles in a Beehive

A honey bee colony is one of nature’s most well-organized societies, and gender plays a significant role in its structure. But no, not all bees are male. Most of the bees you see out in your garden or swarming around a hive are female.

Inside every honey bee colony, there are three types of bees, each with a distinct role:

We get up close with all three castes during our daily bee relocation work, and each one plays a vital part in maintaining the health of the colony.

Are All Honey Bees Female?

While not all honey bees are female, the majority of bees in a colony are female worker bees. These are the ones you're most likely to encounter during a swarm, in your backyard, or buzzing around a hive.

Worker bees are remarkable. They build the comb, forage for food, tend to the queen, care for larvae, and even defend the hive from intruders. When we’re conducting bee removals or rescuing colonies during swarms, these are the bees we interact with the most. They're also the ones responsible for producing the delicious local honey our clients enjoy.

Unlike drones or the queen, worker bees are sterile. They can't reproduce, but their labor supports every function of the hive. When we rescue a hive, our goal is always to preserve these workers so they can reestablish themselves in a safe new environment. You can read more about how we do this on our Our Process page.

What Are Male Honey Bees Called?

Male honey bees are called drones, and their role is quite different from that of the female bees. Drones don’t have stingers, they don’t forage for nectar, and they don’t build or defend the hive. Their only job is to mate with a queen from another colony.

Drones are typically raised in the spring and summer when colonies are at their peak. Once they’ve fulfilled their purpose—or as winter approaches—they're usually pushed out of the hive by the workers. That’s nature’s way of conserving resources for the hive’s survival.

When we relocate a hive, we often witness this cycle unfold. If a colony is disrupted or under stress, drones are usually the first to be sacrificed to protect the core group of workers and the queen. Our approach during bee hive relocation or when establishing bee nucs always takes these seasonal dynamics into account to ensure the colony can thrive in its new home.

At The Other Bee Guy, we rely on our in-depth understanding of bee behavior to perform ethical and practical removals that protect both people and pollinators. If you have a hive on your property or want to learn more about our bee-friendly approach, get in touch with us today, or read what others are saying on our reviews page.

Why People Think All Bees Are Male

It’s easy to understand where the confusion comes from. In popular culture and cartoons, bees are often portrayed as male characters—think of the movie Bee Movie, where the main character, Barry B. Benson, is a male worker bee. In reality, that character’s role doesn’t match up with nature. As we’ve discussed, worker bees—the ones doing all the tasks Barry did—are female.

We also find that people assume bees are male because they associate stinging or aggressive behavior with masculinity. Ironically, male bees (drones) don’t even have stingers. It’s the female worker bees that protect the colony and will sting when necessary.

As professionals who deal with swarms and hives daily, we’ve seen just how misunderstood bees can be. That’s why we take the time during every bee removal or relocation job to educate our clients. We believe that when people understand how bees function, they’re more likely to support ethical, sustainable practices—and that’s a win for everyone.

The Importance of Gender Roles in Bee Removal

Understanding the gender roles within a hive is critical for what we do at The Other Bee Guy. When we perform a bee hive relocation, we carefully preserve the queen and her female workers, as they are the foundation of any thriving colony. Without them, the hive cannot survive.

When necessary, we also establish bee nucs and nucleus colonies—small starter hives that are built from rescued bees. This is only possible when we retain a viable population of worker bees and a healthy queen. The drones, while important during mating seasons, don’t play an active role in the daily upkeep of the hive. That’s why our process always emphasizes protecting the females who do the work.

You can learn more about how we approach this delicate and essential process on our Our Process page. We combine years of field experience, a deep respect for bee behavior, and proven techniques to ensure every rescue is a success.

More Than Just Male or Female

So, are all bees male? Absolutely not. The vast majority of the bees you’ll see—especially the ones flying around your garden or being safely removed from your property—are female. And that’s a good thing. These incredible creatures are the backbone of every colony, working together to pollinate our crops, protect their queen, and make delicious local honey.

At The Other Bee Guy, we’ve built our reputation on more than just removing bees—we work to preserve their essential role in nature. If you’re dealing with a swarm, hive, or unwanted bees around your home, trust our team to handle the situation with care, expertise, and respect for the bees themselves.

Contact us today to schedule a safe and humane bee removal and join the many satisfied customers who’ve shared their experiences on our reviews page.