What is honey primarily made from?

Honey is primarily made from nectar, which is a sugary fluid secreted by flowers. When bees collect nectar, they use their proboscis to gather it and then place it into their honey stomach, where enzymes begin breaking down the sugars. Once back at the hive, the bees regurgitate the nectar and deposit it into honeycomb cells. They then fan their wings to evaporate much of the water content, transforming the nectar into honey, which is more concentrated and has a longer shelf life.

While pollen is an essential source of protein for bees and contributes to the nutrition of young bees, it is not the primary ingredient in honey. Water is present in honey, making up about 17-20% of its content, but it is not the main component. Bee wax serves as the structure for the honeycomb, but it does not contribute to the composition of honey itself. Thus, nectar is the foundational substance from which honey is created.