How Do Bees Make Honey? | A2 ESL Science Reading Passage

Use this A2-B1 ESL science reading passage to learn how bees make honey. It includes key vocabulary, reading comprehension questions, and answers for English learners.

Bees make honey by collecting nectar from flowers and storing it in honeycomb.

Reading Level

A2-B1

Word Count

291 words

Reading Passage

Honey begins with flowers. Flowers make a sweet liquid called nectar. Bees visit flowers and drink nectar with their long tongues. Then they carry the nectar back to the hive.

A bee does not carry nectar in the same stomach it uses for food. It has a special honey stomach. This stomach holds the nectar while the bee flies home. During the trip, the nectar begins to change.

When the bee returns to the hive, it gives the nectar to another bee. Bees pass the nectar from one bee to another. This may sound strange, but it helps break down the sugar in the nectar and turn it into honey.

Next, bees put the liquid into small wax rooms called honeycomb. At first, the liquid has too much water. Bees need to make it thicker. They flap their wings to move air through the hive. This helps water evaporate.

As more water leaves, the liquid becomes thick, sweet honey. When the honey is ready, bees cover the honeycomb cells with wax. This keeps the honey clean and safe.

Bees make honey because it is their food. In winter or during times when flowers are not easy to find, bees eat stored honey. Honey gives them energy.

The next time you see honey, remember the many small steps behind it. Honey is the result of flowers, bees, teamwork, and time.

Bees collect nectar, share it, dry it, and store it as honey.

Key Vocabulary

Word	Meaning	Example
nectar	a sweet liquid made by flowers	Bees collect nectar from flowers.
hive	the home where bees live together	The bee carries nectar back to the hive.
honeycomb	wax cells in a hive where bees store honey	Bees store honey in the honeycomb.
evaporate	to change from liquid into gas and disappear into the air	Water evaporates from the nectar.
energy	power that helps a living thing move and live	Honey gives bees energy.

Reading Comprehension Questions

1. Where does honey begin?
2. What does a honey stomach do?
3. Why do bees pass nectar from one bee to another?
4. How do bees make the liquid thicker?
5. Why do bees make honey?

Answers

1. Honey begins with nectar from flowers.
2. A honey stomach holds nectar while the bee flies back to the hive.
3. Passing nectar helps break down the sugar and turn it into honey.
4. Bees flap their wings so water evaporates from the liquid.
5. Bees make honey for food and energy.

Short Summary

Bees make honey by collecting nectar, passing it between bees, placing it in honeycomb, and helping water evaporate. The thick honey becomes food for the hive.

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