However , mystery surrounds the pheromones by which bees convey the information that their queen is alive and well to others in the hive, or that inhibit ovary development in workers. It is now clear that there is no central authority or committee or board of directors, so to speak, in a beehive. Individual bees make decisions based on the information available to them. However, since the individuals all have the same information, and programmed way of responding, their decisions are remarkably similar. It is clear that the decisions they make are based on sound logic, and out of this apparent lack of order comes stability.
Honey bees spend a great deal of time resting and patrolling.
However, the important point is that they are always ready to work. In a minute, or even less, they may be called upon to defend their nest such as when a bear attacks or a sudden cold spell occurs. This same warm spell, or a new food source, may stimulate egg laying and brood rearing and cause nurse bees to produce glandul arly secreted food. It is important that the bees maximize their profits at all of these times, but since worker bees are always ready to respond to the needs of the colony, they can do so. They live exclusively on pollen and honey.