eli5: Why do bees make so much extra honey?

Question

Beekeepers take all the extra honey leaving just a bit for the hive itself. Do bees predict someone is going to take their honey? Do they make only a certain amount and then stop or so they just go ham and make as much as possible? Mmmm honey ham..

In: 1

Answer 1

Captive bees are also fed sugar, which is cheaper and plentiful, so we take much of their honey, and give them back sugar(water).