What happens to bees in the winter?

As winter approaches, many people wonder: What happens to bees during the colder months?

While bees are known for their activity in spring and summer, their behavior in the winter is just as fascinating, though often less visible. Understanding how bees survive the winter can provide insights into their incredible resilience and why they are so essential to our ecosystems.

1. Bees Go into Winter Mode

Unlike some insects that simply die off when the weather turns cold, bees enter a kind of “winter hibernation,” but not in the way you might expect. Bees are still very much alive during the winter; they simply become less active.

Honeybees, which are the most common type kept in hives, rely on the honey they've stored during the warmer months to survive. In the absence of flowers and nectar in winter, bees do not forage for food. Instead, they live off the honey they’ve gathered throughout the year.

2. The Cluster

One of the most crucial aspects of a bee colony's winter survival is the cluster. Bees will form a cluster inside the hive to stay warm. This cluster is a tightly packed group of worker bees, surrounding the queen in the center.

• How does it work? Bees generate heat by vibrating their flight muscles. The bees on the outside of the cluster act as a kind of protective shell, while the bees on the inside stay warmer. The temperature inside the cluster can remain between 90°F and 95°F (32°C to 35°C), even when the external temperature drops well below freezing. The cluster is constantly in motion, as bees rotate from the outside to the inside to prevent any single bee from freezing.

• The Queen's Role: The queen bee remains in the center of the cluster and is kept warm by the surrounding worker bees. The cluster ensures that the queen stays alive and can start laying eggs once the weather warms up in the spring.

3. Limited Activity

During the winter months, the colony's activity is significantly reduced. Bees don’t fly unless absolutely necessary (for example, when the temperature briefly rises above freezing). They do not leave the hive to forage for pollen or nectar, so they rely heavily on their stored honey to survive.

The bees consume honey at a very slow pace. They typically eat the honey closest to them, and the cluster will move toward the remaining stores as the winter goes on. Beekeepers ensure that their colonies have enough honey to last through the winter, and in some cases, they may supplement the hive with sugar syrup or fondant if supplies are low.

4. Winter Mortality

While bees do survive the winter, not all of them make it through the season. Worker bees have a relatively short lifespan, and many die in the fall or winter months. However, the queen bee can live for several years, and the colony as a whole is designed to survive, as long as the conditions are right.

Some bees may also die if the hive becomes too cold or if the colony doesn't have enough food. In some cases, bees will become “disoriented” if they venture out on a warm winter day, only to find that the temperatures have dropped too quickly for them to return to the hive.

5. Beekeeping in Winter

Beekeepers take special care of their hives to ensure that the bees have enough food and warmth to survive the winter. They may wrap hives with insulation material to keep the cold out or reduce the entrance to prevent drafts. Beekeepers also make sure that their hives are not exposed to excessive moisture, which can be harmful to the bees.

In some colder climates, beekeepers may move hives into sheds or other insulated spaces to keep the bees safe from the worst of the winter weather.

6. Springtime Revival

As the weather warms up in the spring, the bees emerge from their cluster. The queen starts laying eggs again, and the colony begins to grow. Worker bees head out to forage for nectar and pollen, and the cycle starts all over again.

Beekeepers often perform "spring checks" to ensure that their colonies are healthy and have enough food for the new season. If necessary, additional food or hive space may be added to support the growing colony.

Bees are truly remarkable creatures, and their ability to survive the winter months is a testament to their resilience. By forming clusters and carefully managing their food stores, bees can make it through even the coldest seasons. As a beekeeper or someone interested in supporting pollinators, it’s important to understand how bees adapt to winter and to take steps to ensure their survival during these challenging months.

If you’re a beekeeper, make sure your hives are properly prepared for winter. If you’re a gardener or outdoor enthusiast, you can help by planting bee-friendly flowers in the spring and summer, which will give these hardworking pollinators the resources they need to thrive.

Winter is just a brief pause in the life of a bee, and when spring comes, the hive will once again be buzzing with activity!