
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,844
- BGG rating
- 6.7
GOLD
- 2–5 players
- 15 min
- Complexity 1.0/5
- 2020

2012
Rules assistance for Bee Alert
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Bee Alert is a board game released in 2012 for 2–5 players, 15 minutes per game, and ages 4 and up. It was designed by Reiner Knizia and its main mechanics are Memory.
In Bee Alert, a.k.a. Honigbienchen, six colored plastic bees are hidden below six beehives with players initially knowing which bees are where. On a turn, the active player draws a card. If it's a hive card, she takes a hive from the middle without lifting it up; if it's a bear card, she returns one hive to the middle of the table; if it's a bee card, she lifts one hive to reveal the bee. If the bee matches the color on the card, she moves the hive towards herself. The first player with four hives wins! Alternatively, when the cards run out, whoever has the most hives in front of her wins.
Bee Alert supports 2–5 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Bee Alert is 15 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Bee Alert for ages 4 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Bee Alert has a complexity rating of 1.2 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Bee Alert belongs to these categories: Animals, Children's Game, and Memory. Its main mechanics are Memory. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Bee Alert are: Reiner Knizia. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Bee Alert as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.