21 Bee Tattoo Meanings + Queen Bee, Beehive & Honeycomb Tattoos

Bee Tattoo with Flower Wreath
Bee tattoo with flower wreath, @becka169.

Are you buzzing with the idea of getting a bee tattoo? Whether you’re drawn to the industrious honeybee or the symbolism of a bumblebee, taking a moment to understand bee tattoo meaning can add a whole new layer of depth to the ink on your skin. 

In this post, we’ll take a flight into the captivating world of bee tattoo meaning and what these illustrious insects can symbolize. Of course, tattoos are deeply personal to the person whose skin they adorn and every bee tattoo has its own unique meanings. But delving into the symbolism associated with these hardworking pollinators can bring an added dimension to your tattoo beyond its artistic appeal.

If you’d like more details on bee symbolism, be sure to check out my comprehensive post about bee meanings and the bee spirit animal.

Bee Tattoo on Ankle
Bee tattoo on ankle, @mayposs.art7.

What does a bee tattoo symbolize? 

Here are some qualities that a bee tattoo embodies:

1. Focus

The bee, a small yet very industrious insect, embodies remarkable focus and determination. Like the bee who diligently gathers nectar from flowers, a bee tattoo can signify your ability to zero in on your goals and objectives with unwavering determination.

So, bee tattoo meaning embodies the notion of staying focused on your dreams and aspirations. Doing so can lead to the sweet rewards of success and fulfillment.

2. Hard Work

Bee Tattoo on Sleeve
Bee tattoo, @martyrtattoos.

A bee tattoo also embodies the idea of dedication and hard work – just like the industrious “worker bee” in the colony.

Worker bees tirelessly contribute to their colony’s survival, diligently collecting pollen, constructing intricate honeycombs, nurturing young bees, and caring for the queen bee. 

Thus, your bee tattoo can symbolize an unwavering commitment and dedication to your career or personal goals. A bee tattoo can also serve as a reminder that consistent hard work and dedication to your goals will pay off.

3. Cooperation and Community

Bees live in colonies that can include tens of thousands of bees working together to create honey and nurture their young. So, a bee tattoo can also symbolize the spirit of cooperation, collaboration, and community.

Your bee tattoo can be a beautiful testament to creating a life that is better for the many instead of just a few.

4. Bee Tattoo Meaning: Sunshine

Warmth, brightness, and uplifting energy are all qualities that we associate with the sun. And while bees come in a range of colors, including blue bees, they are most often associated with the sun’s color: yellow. So bee tattoo meaning shares symbolism with sunshine, including warmth, happiness, and vitality.

Just as the sun’s rays energize and nurture life, your bee tattoo can represent the invigorating and optimistic outlook that comes with being outside and soaking up the sun’s rays. Your bee tattoo can serve as a reminder to embrace the light, radiate positivity, and find joy in each day. 

5. Happiness

Like yellow butterfly meaning or yellow flower symbolism, the bee is also a symbol for happiness and optimism. Bees seem to be happy at their work, buzzing from flower to flower on a sunny day. So, your bee tattoo is a positive symbol for looking on the bright side of life and enjoying simple pleasures.

6. Life

Colorful Bee Tattoo with Flowers
Colorful bee tattoo with flowers, Bobby Joe Tattoo.

Because bees are pollinators, they literally support life on Earth. So, your bee tattoo is a beautiful symbol for life itself.

A bee tattoo also embodies the interconnectedness of all living beings and the vitality that flows through every organism. In addition, your bee tattoo can serve as a symbol of the beauty and preciousness of life and a reminder to live each day to the fullest.

7. Wealth and Abundance

With their golden hue, the bee is also a symbol of wealth and prosperity. Bees help to create more life as they move from plant to plant extending the plants’ lifeforce through pollination. Thus, a bee tattoo is a positive symbol for gratitude and your ability to manifest more prosperity and abundance in your life.

8. Generosity

Much like the bees working together in large groups to support the overall health of their colony, a bee tattoo symbolizes generosity and team spirit. Bees demonstrate a remarkable sense of giving as they tirelessly collect pollen, construct intricate honeycombs, nurture young bees, and care for the queen bee – all for the greater good of the colony. 

So, your bee tattoo is an apt symbol of generosity. Those who have a bee tattoo are likely selfless givers who put others before themselves. 

Queen Bee Tattoo Meaning

Queen Bee Tattoo with Lady
Queen Bee tattoo, Aubrey Mennella.

Every bee hive has a queen bee whose job is to lay eggs and help maintain harmony among the bees in her colony. Along with the meanings associated with bee tattoos, the queen bee has some additional symbolic meanings. Here are some examples: 

9. Female Power

The queen bee’s role in her colony is central and essential, as the colony couldn’t exist without her laying eggs and providing purpose for the worker and drone bees. So, a queen bee tattoo is the embodiment of female power and the significant role that women play in society, including leading, nurturing, and shaping the world around us. 

Just as the queen bee is the central figure in her colony, a queen bee tattoo is a powerful reminder of the importance of women and girls in society. On a spiritual level, a queen bee tattoo is also a symbol of the divine feminine, or potent female spiritual energy.

10. Queen Bee Tattoo Meaning: Majesty 

Queen Bee and Hamsa Tattoo
Queen bee and hamsa tattoo, Smash Cairns Tattoo.

As with monarch butterfly meaning, and befitting her name, the queen bee is a symbol of majesty. She holds a position of paramount importance in her colony as she is essential for its survival and her very presence creates harmony among the other bees.

Thus, a queen bee tattoo is the perfect symbol to demonstrate the importance of your own existence in this lifetime – in which you are here to fulfill your purpose, to bring more harmony to the world, and to evolve spiritually. 

11. Fertility and Motherhood

Because bees support life on Earth, they are beautiful symbols of fertility. And as the egg-layer in her colony, the queen bee is the source of the hive’s growth and continuity. So, a queen bee tattoo embodies the creative and nurturing power of mothers. 

A queen bee tattoo is a beautiful symbol for the countless gifts that mothers and those who nurture bring to the world.

In addition, as a symbol for fertility, a queen bee tattoo can represent a business or creative endeavor that you want to see flourish. 

12. Harmony and Balance

The queen bee produces scents that help to balance and reinforce the unity of the colony in order to keep it healthy and functioning optimally. So, just as a queen bee orchestrates harmony within her colony, a queen bee tattoo embodies the principles of serenity and balance.

Beehive Tattoo Meaning

Beehive Tattoo
Beehive tattoo, Flying Fox.

13. Home and Security

As a beehive serves as a sanctuary for bees, a beehive tattoo embodies the essence of home and security. Thus, a beehive tattoo can represent the comforting notion of having a secure foundation or personal sanctuary. This could be in the form of a physical home or it could also mean feeling home in a relationship, with a group of friends, or even in your own headspace.

Your beehive tattoo can be a reminder that amidst life’s constant motion and buzz, finding refuge in your hive can bring a sense of security and well-being. 

14. Order and Structure

Just as bees diligently maintain their hive with precision and organization, a beehive tattoo is a fitting symbol for creating order and harmony in your own life. Beehive tattoo meaning encompasses the idea that an ordered approach to your life can create a strong foundation for prosperity and happiness.

15. Beehive Tattoo Meaning: Productivity

A beehive tattoo also represents the idea of productivity. Bees live and work in large colonies, cooperating to pollinate plants, produce honey, and raise their young. In short, bees get a lot done! So, a beehive tattoo showcases the collective power and productivity of bees. It’s an apt symbol for being effective and productive as you pursue your goals.

16. A Beyoncé Fan

If you’re a Beyoncé fan, a beehive tattoo might also demonstrate your love for the iconic singer and performer, as her fans are known as the BeyHive.

Honeycomb Tattoo Meaning

Honeycomb Tattoo
Honeycomb tattoo sleeve, Kristine Vodon.

Bees create honeycombs from wax to hold their eggs, larvae, and pupae as well as to store pollen and honey. The honeycomb also works like insulation.1 And just like bees themselves, honeycombs (and therefore honeycomb tattoos) are rich with symbolic meaning. Here are some examples:

17. Sustenance and Nourishment

As mentioned above, the honeycomb serves as a cradle and source of sustenance for the bees’ young. So, a honeycomb tattoo is a fitting symbol for nourishing important aspects of your life, such as your relationships, your creativity, your health, or even your finances.

18. Creativity

A honeycomb is a beautiful, and some might even say – miraculous, design. So, a honeycomb tattoo can be a wonderful symbol for nurturing your own creativity and original ideas, all the while giving structure and support to these endeavors.

19. Interconnectedness

Beehive Collar Tattoo
Beehive collar tattoo, DD Tattoos.

Every wall of every cell in the honeycomb helps to fortify the structure as a whole. So, a honeycomb tattoo symbolizes the importance of interconnectedness, support, and unity.

20. The Number 6

Honeycombs are known for their hexagonal cells. Biologists theorize that the hexagon shape enables the bees to work together to build the honeycomb in the most efficient and collaborative manner.2

For those who believe in the theory of sacred geometry, the hexagonal shapes in a honeycomb are examples of patterns that repeat in nature, which demonstrates evidence of intelligent design by a single creator. (For example, corals and crystals also have hexagonal patterns.) So, the honeycomb itself is considered a symbol of divine creativity.

Because a honeycomb is composed of hexagonal shapes, a honeycomb tattoo shares symbolism with the number 6. As an angel number, the number 6 represents love, pleasure, stability, and protection.3

21. Sweet Rewards and Success

Finally, a honeycomb tattoo also symbolizes the sweet rewards of success. With their honey, bees demonstrate that hard work, dedication, and productivity can yield rewards and prosperity.

Summary

In summary, bee tattoo meaning encompasses a wide variety of powerful and positive associations. While your bee tattoo may be extraordinary in and of itself, being familiar with the many wonderful aspects of the world of bees can hopefully bring even deeper meaning to the ink in your skin.

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Kristen M. Stanton

Hello. Thanks for visiting UniGuide. My name is Kristen and I started UniGuide as a tribute to nature, animals, and spiritual exploration. I hope you enjoy your experience here!