By David Hocutt
Two of the questions that I am asked frequently, especially this time of the year, are
“How do honey bees survive in the winter?”
“Do honey bees hibernate?”
I will answer the second question first. No, honey bees do not hibernate. In fact, the bees are quite active. The bees form a cluster. Think of a ball of bees the size of a basketball or volleyball. [Editor’s note: See the below photo taken when the outside air temperature is 31.7 F.]
Photo taken with infrared camera showing the heat signature of the cluster of bees within the hive.
The first question calls for a little more elaborate answer. Honey bees have a unique ability.They have both direct and indirect flight muscles. The bees have the ability to engage their indirect flight muscles without moving their wings. Much like you can put your car in neutral and rev the engine without causing the car to move.
In doing so, the bees vibrate, which generates heat within the cluster. The bees are able to maintain a temperature greater than 90 degrees F within the cluster down to an ambient air temperature of near -60 degrees F. The 90+ degree F temperature is required for the bees to raise brood. Bees begin raising brood in late December in small amounts, and increase brood production as the days become longer and the temperature begins to moderate. During mid-March through mid-April brood production is very high as the bees are preparing for the May nectar gathering season. So, I am beginning to get excited as we are half-way through winter. I am so looking forward to spring.
Thanks for reading!
Photo taken in late fall of bees forming their cluster within the hive.