Every detail about Honey Bees in Minecraft

 

image via PCGamesSN

Bees are neutral mobs, added in 1.15 update. They live inside bee nests or beehives. If a player provokes them, they might get angry and sting the player. 

Where do the bees spawn? 

Bees spawn inside the naturally generated bee nests. Usually, 3 bees generate within a single bee nest. 

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Bee nests generate in different biomes. They commonly generate in Plain and Sunflower biomes (5%) and Flower Forest (2% in Java, 3% in Bedrock). Whereas, bees are rare in other forests and hills biomes. 

Another way to spawn bees is to plant/place a sapling (oak/birch)  within two (2) blocks of a flower. When a tree grows, it might have 5% chances to grow with a bee nest with one to three bees inside it. 

Interesting Facts  about Bees

Bees do not fly like Ender Dragon, but hover a few blocks above the ground. 

Bane of Arthropods enchantment can deal extra damage to bees. 

Bees are afraid of water. If they touch water,  they might take some damage in Minecraft Java Edition only. 

A player can attach a bee with a lead. 

A bee can go as far as 22 blocks from their nests,  to pollinate or attack. 

Bees attach themselves to the honey block as if they are eating it. 

Pollination 

During the day time, bees come out of their nests. They are attracted to flowers, sweet berry bushes, flowering Azalea and flower Azalea leaves. 

Honey bees hover around the nearby flowers for 30 seconds, and make happy buzzing sounds,  to collect pollen.  A bee changes its texture when carrying pollen. 

A bee can pollinate many crops and advance their growth phase similar to bone meal. 

After pollination, bees move toward their nests and make honey. 

How do bees make honey? 

Bees, after pollination, goes to their nests. In nests, they start the process of making honey. Around 2 minutes of time is required for a bee to make honey. The 2 minutes of work increase the honey level by 1. When level 5 is reached, honey can be seen dripping and ready to be collected. 

Living inside the beehives or nests 

In one beehive or nest, upto three bees can live together in a colony. Honey bees can enter from any side, but exit from the front side only. 

Bees return to their nests, when its dark or raining weather outside. 

When a player breaks the nest/hive without silk touch, it will release all the bees; and, the angry bees attack the player. If silk touch is used, they remain within their nest or hive. 

Why do bees attack? 

If player attacks a bee, collects honey or honey comb without campfire, or destroys nest/hive wihout silktouch,  all the bees will attack the player. Hitting a nest may not provoke then until it is destroyed. 

When angered, their eyes turn red. 

Bees attack only one time, after which they lose their stinger and die in about one minute; leaving player with poison effect. 

Bees do not attack in peaceful mode. 

Bee's stinger can be visible on the player as small black dot. 

If bees could not sting their target, they will become neutral again in 25 seconds. 

How do the honey bees breed? 

Bees can be bred when a player feeds them flowers they like. Once fed, bees will enter the love made and have a baby. For bees,  5 minutes is the cooldown time for one breeding. Baby bees take upto 20 minutes to grow (1 in-game day). 

Angered bees, who have stung the player, can also be bred, but they'll die shortly because they are stingerless. 

Bees are neutral mobs that were first released in Buzzy Bees update (1.15).