How To Tame Queen Bee Ark: Ultimate Guide

Are you looking to add a buzzing new companion to your ARK: Survival Ascended adventure? Taming a Queen Bee in ARK can be a rewarding experience, offering unique benefits and resources. This comprehensive guide will walk you through every step of the process, from finding Queen Bees to successfully taming and utilizing them. Whether you’re a seasoned ARK player or new to the game, you’ll find all the information you need to become a master bee tamer.

Introduction to Queen Bees in ARK

Queen Bees are fascinating creatures in ARK: Survival Ascended. These giant insects are not just oversized versions of real-world bees; they’re powerful allies that can significantly enhance your gameplay experience. Let’s dive into what makes Queen Bees special and why you should consider taming them.

What are Queen Bees?

In ARK, Queen Bees are the rulers of their hives. They’re much larger than regular bees and have a distinct appearance that sets them apart. These majestic insects are responsible for producing honey and maintaining their colonies. Unlike their smaller counterparts, Queen Bees can be tamed and utilized by players for various purposes.

Why Tame Queen Bees?

Taming a Queen Bee offers several advantages:

1. Honey Production: Tamed Queen Bees provide a steady supply of Giant Bee Honey, a valuable resource in ARK.
2. Unique Taming Aid: Giant Bee Honey is useful for taming other creatures, making it a versatile item in your arsenal.
3. Crafting Ingredient: The honey is used in various recipes and crafting processes.
4. Passive Defense: A tamed Queen Bee can offer some protection against smaller creatures.
5. Ecosystem Management: Bees play a role in ARK’s complex ecosystem, adding depth to your base area.

Where to Find Queen Bees in ARK

Queen Bees are primarily found in specific regions of ARK:

• Redwood Forests: The most common location, where beehives are attached to large trees.
• Mountainous Areas: Some beehives can be found on cliffs and rocky outcrops.
• Specific ARK Maps: Depending on the map you’re playing, Queen Bees might be found in unique biomes.

Keep in mind that not all beehives contain a Queen Bee, so you might need to search multiple hives before finding one.

Preparing for Queen Bee Taming

Before you set out to tame a Queen Bee, proper preparation is crucial. This section will cover everything you need to gather and craft to ensure a successful taming experience.

Essential Equipment for Taming

To tame a Queen Bee, you’ll need:

1. Ghillie Armor: Helps you approach the Queen Bee without aggravating nearby drones.
2. Bug Repellent: Further reduces the chances of being attacked by bees.
3. Taming Food: Simple Kibble, Rare Flowers, or various meats (more on this later).
4. Weapons: For breaking the hive and dealing with potential threats.
5. Building Materials: To construct a trap if needed.

Recommended Tames for Assistance

Having the right tamed creatures can make the Queen Bee taming process much easier:

1. Flying Mount: A Pteranodon, Argentavis, or Tapejara for reaching high beehives.
2. Dire Bear: Immune to bee stings, making hive destruction safer.
3. Tank Creature: Like a Rex or Spino to deal with nearby predators.

Crafting Necessary Items

Before you start, craft these items:

1. Bug Repellent: Made in a Cooking Pot with Citronal, Narcotic, and Oil.
2. Ghillie Armor: Requires Hide, Fiber, and Organic Polymer.
3. Simple Kibble: If you choose to use it for taming.
4. Wooden Cage: For trapping the Queen Bee (optional but recommended).

Having these items ready will streamline the taming process and increase your chances of success.

Locating and Approaching Queen Bee Hives

Now that you’re prepared, it’s time to find and approach a Queen Bee hive. This step requires patience and careful observation.

Identifying Active Hives

Not all beehives in ARK contain a Queen Bee. Here’s how to identify an active hive:

1. Look for Movement: Active hives will have bees flying around them.
2. Listen for Buzzing: Queen Bee hives emit a distinct buzzing sound.
3. Check for Size: Active hives tend to be larger than inactive ones.
4. Observe Behavior: If drones aggressively react to your presence, a Queen is likely nearby.

Safely Approaching Hives

Approaching a beehive requires caution:

1. Wear Your Ghillie Armor: This reduces the chance of aggravating the bees.
2. Apply Bug Repellent: For additional protection against bee attacks.
3. Approach Slowly: Quick movements can trigger aggressive responses.
4. Use High Ground: If possible, approach from above to avoid drone detection.

Dealing with Drone Bees

Drone bees can be a nuisance during the taming process:

1. Stay Calm: Panicking can lead to mistakes.
2. Use a Shield: If available, to block drone attacks.
3. Have a Plan B: Be ready to retreat if the drones become overwhelming.
4. Consider Using a Dire Bear: Its immunity to bee stings makes it an excellent choice for hive approach.

Remember, your goal is to reach the hive without causing too much disturbance, setting the stage for a successful taming attempt.

Breaking the Hive and Luring the Queen

Once you’ve successfully approached a hive, the next step is to break it open and lure out the Queen Bee. This process requires careful timing and strategy.

Methods to Destroy Hives

There are several ways to break a beehive:

1. Ranged Weapons: Use a crossbow or bow to shoot the hive from a distance.
2. Explosives: A risky but quick method using grenades or rocket launchers.
3. Melee Weapons: Only recommended if you’re using a Dire Bear due to its immunity.
4. Tamed Creatures: Some players prefer using strong tames to destroy the hive.

Whichever method you choose, be prepared for the bees to become aggressive once their hive is threatened.

Using Giant Bee Honey as Bait

After destroying the hive, you’ll need to lure the Queen Bee:

1. Place Giant Bee Honey: Drop it on the ground near where the hive was.
2. Create a Trail: If needed, place multiple honey drops to guide the Queen.
3. Be Patient: The Queen may take a moment to emerge and follow the honey.

Queen Bee Behavior After Hive Destruction

Understanding how the Queen Bee behaves after losing her hive is crucial:

1. Initial Aggression: The Queen and drones may be hostile at first.
2. Wandering Phase: The Queen will start wandering, looking for a new home.
3. Attraction to Honey: She’ll be drawn to any Giant Bee Honey in the area.
4. Time Sensitivity: Act quickly, as the Queen may despawn if left alone too long.

By carefully managing this phase, you set the stage for the actual taming process.

Taming Techniques for Queen Bees

Now comes the exciting part – actually taming the Queen Bee. This process requires finesse and the right approach to ensure success.

Passive Taming Process

Queen Bees in ARK are passively tamed, meaning you don’t need to knock them out. Here’s the process:

1. Approach Carefully: Move slowly towards the Queen, crouching if possible.
2. Maintain Distance: Stay just close enough to interact, but not so close as to spook her.
3. Feed Regularly: Offer food at regular intervals when prompted.
4. Stay Alert: Keep an eye out for aggressive drones or other threats.

Best Foods for Taming Queen Bees

The choice of food affects taming speed and effectiveness:

1. Simple Kibble: The most efficient option, providing the fastest taming.
2. Rare Flowers: A good alternative if you don’t have kibble.
3. Raw Mutton: Effective, but slower than kibble or rare flowers.
4. Other Meats: Can be used, but are less efficient.

Always keep the food in the last slot of your hotbar for quick access.

Using Ghillie Armor and Bug Repellent

These items are crucial during the taming process:

1. Wear Full Ghillie: This camouflages you from the Queen and drones.
2. Apply Bug Repellent: Reapply as needed to maintain protection.
3. Stay Downwind: If possible, approach from a direction that doesn’t carry your scent.

These precautions significantly increase your chances of a successful tame.

Building an Effective Queen Bee Trap

While not always necessary, building a trap can make the taming process much easier and safer, especially for beginners.

Materials Needed for the Trap

To build a basic Queen Bee trap, you’ll need:

1. 4 Foundations
2. 8 Doorframes
3. 8 Doors
4. 1 Giant Hatchframe
5. 1 Giant Trapdoor

Gather these materials before starting your taming attempt.

Step-by-Step Trap Construction

Here’s how to build your trap:

1. Place the foundations in a 2×2 square.
2. Add doorframes on all sides, two high.
3. Attach doors to all doorframes.
4. Place the giant hatchframe on top.
5. Add the giant trapdoor to the hatchframe.

Ensure the trap is built near where you plan to lure the Queen Bee.

Luring the Queen into the Trap

To get the Queen Bee into your trap:

1. Place honey inside the trap.
2. Open one of the doors.
3. Lead the Queen towards the open door using a trail of honey.
4. Once she’s inside, quickly close the door.

With the Queen trapped, you can now proceed with the taming process more safely.

Completing the Taming Process

You’re in the final stretch of taming your Queen Bee. This section will guide you through the last steps to successfully add this buzzing ally to your ARK menagerie.

Feeding the Queen Bee

With the Queen Bee trapped or approachable, it’s time to feed her:

1. Equip your chosen food in the last hotbar slot.
2. Approach the Queen slowly, crouching if possible.
3. When prompted, feed the Queen by pressing the interact button.
4. Repeat this process, feeding her at regular intervals.
5. Be patient – taming can take several minutes depending on the food used.

Taming Effectiveness and Levels

Understanding taming effectiveness is crucial:

1. Higher quality food increases taming effectiveness.
2. Better effectiveness results in more bonus levels upon taming.
3. Avoid any actions that might lower effectiveness, like hitting the Queen.
4. The final level of your tamed Queen Bee depends on its original level and taming effectiveness.

Acquiring the Beehive

Once tamed, the Queen Bee transforms into a placeable beehive:

1. Approach your newly tamed Queen Bee.
2. Interact with her to receive the beehive item.
3. The Queen Bee will disappear, now existing within the hive item.
4. You can now place this hive in a suitable location at your base.

Congratulations! You’ve successfully tamed a Queen Bee in ARK.

Post-Taming Care for Queen Bees

Taming a Queen Bee is just the beginning. Proper care is essential to reap the benefits of your new buzzing friend.

Creating a Suitable Habitat

To keep your Queen Bee happy and productive:

1. Place the hive on natural ground, not on player-built structures.
2. Ensure the area is safe from predators.
3. Keep the hive away from high-traffic areas to avoid accidental damage.
4. Consider building a protective enclosure around the hive.

Feeding and Maintaining Tamed Queen Bees

Caring for your Queen Bee is relatively simple:

1. Feed the hive with Rare Flowers to maintain its health.
2. One Rare Flower lasts for about an hour.
3. Keep the hive stocked with flowers to ensure continuous honey production.
4. Check on the hive regularly to collect honey and ensure it’s well-fed.

Breeding Queen Bees

While Queen Bees can’t be bred in the traditional sense, you can:

1. Tame multiple Queens for increased honey production.
2. Place hives strategically around your base for easy access.
3. Consider taming Queens with different levels for variety.

Remember, each Queen Bee hive functions independently, so manage them individually for best results.

Utilizing Tamed Queen Bees

Now that you have a tamed Queen Bee, it’s time to make the most of this valuable asset in ARK.

Honey Production and Collection

Queen Bees are primarily used for their honey:

1. Honey Production Rate: A well-maintained hive produces one Giant Bee Honey every 45 minutes.
2. Collection Method: Approach the hive and interact to collect honey.
3. Storage: Honey doesn’t spoil, so you can stockpile it for future use.
4. Harvesting Precautions: Always wear protective gear when collecting honey to avoid bee stings.

Benefits of Owning Tamed Queen Bees

Having Queen Bees offers several advantages:

1. Taming Aid: Giant Bee Honey is excellent for taming other creatures like Dire Bears and Moschops.
2. Crafting Ingredient: Honey is used in various recipes and kibble production.
3. Healing Properties: Some players use honey for its minor healing effects.
4. Trade Value: In multiplayer servers, honey can be a valuable trade commodity.

Queen Bees in ARK’s Ecosystem

Queen Bees play a unique role in ARK’s environment:

1. Pollination: While not mechanically implemented, bees thematically fit into the ecosystem.
2. Atmosphere: Having bees around your base adds to the immersive experience.
3. Natural Defense: Bees can sometimes deter smaller creatures from approaching your base.

By understanding these aspects, you can fully appreciate and utilize your tamed Queen Bees.

Troubleshooting Common Taming Issues

Even with careful preparation, you might encounter some challenges when taming Queen Bees. Here’s how to handle common issues.

Dealing with Aggressive Drones

Drone bees can be a persistent problem:

1. Use a shield to block their attacks if available.
2. Wear full Ghillie Armor and apply Bug Repellent frequently.
3. If overwhelmed, retreat and wait for the drones to calm down before attempting again.
4. Consider using a Dire Bear, which is immune to bee stings.

What to Do if the Queen Escapes

If the Queen Bee flies away during taming:

1. Don’t panic – she usually doesn’t go too far.
2. Use a flying mount to quickly follow her.
3. Place more Giant Bee Honey to lure her back.
4. If she despawns, you’ll need to find a new hive and start over.

Improving Taming Success Rates

To increase your chances of successful taming:

1. Practice on lower-level Queens first.
2. Always come overprepared with extra supplies.
3. Bring a tribemate for assistance if possible.
4. Choose a time when the server is less busy to avoid interference.

Remember, persistence is key in ARK. Don’t get discouraged if your first attempts aren’t successful.

Advanced Queen Bee Taming Strategies

For experienced players looking to optimize their Queen Bee taming, here are some advanced techniques.

Speed Taming Techniques

To tame Queen Bees faster:

1. Use Simple Kibble exclusively for the fastest taming times.
2. Prepare a pre-built trap nearby to quickly secure the Queen.
3. Practice your approach to minimize time between feeding intervals.
4. Use a timer to track feeding times precisely.

Taming Multiple Queens

For those looking to establish a honey farm:

1. Scout multiple hive locations in advance.
2. Prepare several traps in different areas.
3. Use a fast-flying mount like a Pteranodon for quick travel between sites.
4. Consider enlisting tribemates for simultaneous taming attempts.

Server-Specific Taming Considerations

Different servers may have unique settings affecting taming:

1. Check server taming speed multipliers.
2. Be aware of any mods that might affect bee behavior or taming.
3. In PvP servers, be extra cautious of other players interrupting your tame.
4. Some servers might have specific rules about bee taming or honey production.

Adapting these strategies to your specific situation can greatly enhance your Queen Bee taming efficiency.

Queen Bee Taming FAQs

Let’s address some common questions players often have about taming Queen Bees in ARK:

Can Queen Bees be Transferred Between Servers?

This is a tricky question:

1. In general, Queen Bees cannot be directly transferred between servers in their hive form.
2. However, there’s a workaround: You can cryopod the Queen Bee before obtaining the hive.
3. Once cryopodded, the Queen can be transferred like any other tamed creature.
4. After transferring, release the Queen and then obtain the hive.
5. Be aware that some servers may have restrictions on this method.

How Often Do Queen Bees Produce Honey?

Understanding honey production is crucial:

1. A well-maintained hive produces one Giant Bee Honey every 45 minutes.
2. This rate is consistent as long as the hive is properly fed with Rare Flowers.
3. One Rare Flower keeps the hive producing for about an hour.
4. You can stockpile honey as it doesn’t spoil.
5. Production continues even when you’re offline, so regular check-ins are beneficial.

Are There Different Types of Queen Bees in ARK?

As of now:

1. There’s only one type of tameable Queen Bee in standard ARK: Survival Ascended.
2. All Queen Bees function the same way regardless of the level you tame them at.
3. Higher-level Queens may have better stats, potentially affecting their survivability.
4. Some mod packs might introduce variations, but these aren’t part of the base game.
5. Future updates could potentially introduce new bee types, so stay tuned to official announcements.

How Do I Protect My Tamed Queen Bee?

Keeping your Queen Bee safe is important:

1. Place the hive in a protected area of your base.
2. Consider building a small structure around the hive for added security.
3. Keep the hive away from high-traffic areas to prevent accidental damage.
4. In PvP servers, consider hiding the hive or placing it in a hard-to-reach location.
5. Regularly check on the hive to ensure it hasn’t been damaged or destroyed.

Can Queen Bees Be Used in Combat?

While not primary combat creatures:

1. Queen Bees themselves are not combatants.
2. The hive, when approached by enemies, may release defensive bees.
3. These defensive bees can cause minor damage and annoyance to attackers.
4. Don’t rely on bees for significant base defense, but they can be a helpful deterrent.
5. Some players use the defensive bees creatively in trap designs.

Let’s Complete: Mastering Queen Bee Taming in ARK

Taming a Queen Bee in ARK: Survival Ascended is a unique and rewarding experience that adds a new dimension to your gameplay. From the initial preparation to the final moments of acquiring your bee hive, each step offers its own challenges and excitement.

Remember these key points:

1. Preparation is crucial. Gather all necessary equipment and resources before starting your taming attempt.
2. Patience is your ally. Queen Bee taming can be delicate and time-consuming, but the rewards are worth it.
3. Adaptability is important. Be ready to adjust your strategy based on the situation and your server’s specific settings.
4. Continuous care is essential. Once tamed, your Queen Bee requires ongoing attention to produce honey consistently.
5. Experimentation leads to mastery. Don’t be afraid to try different techniques and setups to find what works best for you.

By following this guide, you’re well on your way to becoming an expert bee tamer in ARK. The versatility of Giant Bee Honey in crafting, taming other creatures, and as a valuable resource makes the effort of taming a Queen Bee incredibly worthwhile.

Whether you’re looking to enhance your base’s defenses, streamline your taming processes for other creatures, or simply add a unique element to your ARK experience, mastering Queen Bee taming is a valuable skill. As you become more proficient, you’ll find that these buzzing companions are not just useful, but also add a touch of natural wonder to your ARK adventures.

So gear up, stay determined, and happy bee taming! Your new honey-producing friends are waiting to be discovered in the vast world of ARK: Survival Ascended.