how long does a bee live
Factors affecting a queen bee's life span are food availability, worker bee population and mating opportunities. A queen honey bee's life lasts between a year and five years. A queen bumble bee lives only one year. Both honey bee and bumble bee queens' life spans depend on their ability to produce offspring -- they die when they are no longer able to lay fertile eggs. Honeybees rely on a single queen for reproduction. They inhabit a hive from year to year, hibernating there during winter.