Bees Get Buzzed: When Honeybees Drink Too Much Nectar!

Описание: It’s not just humans who overindulge—honeybees can get drunk too. When bees feed on fermented tree sap or overripe nectar, they ingest natural alcohols created by yeast, and the effects are surprisingly familiar.

When nectar or sap ferments, it produces ethanol. Curious foragers don’t always avoid it, and once they drink enough, the alcohol begins to affect their nervous systems—much like it does in people.

Scientific studies have shown that intoxicated bees move more slowly, struggle with coordination, become less aware of their surroundings and have trouble flying and navigating. As alcohol levels rise, bees can become so impaired that they fail to return to the hive, posing a risk to both themselves and the colony.

Interestingly, honeybee colonies seem to have a built-in safety system. Bees that return too intoxicated may be refused entry, pushed away from the hive and isolated to prevent disruption. This social enforcement helps protect the colony from the consequences of impaired workers—an impressive example of insect-level quality control.

Bees rely on precision: accurate flight, sharp memory, and environmental awareness are essential for pollination and survival. Alcohol disrupts these abilities, showing just how delicate and finely tuned bee behavior really is.
Even insects can overdo it—and when they do, the consequences look surprisingly human.