Site Selectionīecause honeybees need a nest site that’s protected from extreme weather, swarms choose their new nest site with hive temperature in mind. They instead choose to conserve food and energy levels for the end of winter when new eggs are laid by the queen. While bees are able to maintain a warmer temperature, it would require them to consume a substantially greater amount of honey. Levels can fluctuate significantly, with temperatures being recorded as low as 13☌ (55☏). In the winter months when there is no brood, the temperature inside the center of the cluster is typically maintained at around 20☌ (68☏).

The cluster will break occasionally for bees to feed on honey. Meanwhile, those in the outer shell form a barrier as insulation, to help maintain the temperature.īees will take turns, moving from the outer layer to the inner, then back again. The second is the inner layer, where bees are able to move about freely.īees in the center of the cluster use their thoracic muscles to create heat.

The first is an outer circle, where bees stand side-by-side with their heads facing inwards. In winter, bees cluster together to reduce the surface over which temperature can be lost. One of the main ways in which bees are able to regulate the internal temperature of the hive is by forming clusters. They also occupy empty cells throughout the brood area, where they insert themselves head first and transfer heat into the adjacent cells containing pupae. Worker bees press their thorax down onto capped cells that contain pupae in order to keep them warm. This means that bees consume a lot of honey when it’s cold – one of the reasons why it’s so important as a beekeeper to leave your hive enough honey during winter.Ī common way in which bees use this technique (contracting the muscles on their thorax) is to maintain the temperature of the brood so the colony can raise healthy bees. This requires a significant amount of energy, which bees get from eating honey. By contracting these muscles, bees can raise their own temperature and use this warmth to heat up the hive. Honeybees can increase their body temperature by contracting the muscles in their thorax (the middle part of a bee’s body, where the wings are located). In winter, these include: Contracting Their Flight Muscles To Generate Heat How Bees Regulate Hive Temperature When It’s Coldīecause beehive temperature is so important, honeybees have developed many effective techniques for regulating temperature. Typically a queen will stop laying eggs in the lead-up to winter, then start again just before spring. Instead, bees focus their energy and resources on surviving the cold weather. In the colder months, it becomes more difficult to maintain the necessary hive temperature, so there is little to no brood rearing. The temperature outside the optimal range can also affect the wing development, learning ability, and even the color of emerging adult honeybees. If a bee grows from larvae to adult when the hive is at a temperature of 33☌, for instance, they are significantly more susceptible to pesticides. Temperatures outside of the critical range of 34°-36☌ (93°-97☏) can lead to birth defects. If they don’t have healthy brood, they can’t raise healthy adults to take care of the hive, gather food, and protect the colony from predators. Optimal Beehive Temperature Is Needed For A Healthy Colonyīrood health is of great importance to a colony. Studies suggest that a temperature outside this range can have negative effects on the health of emerging adult bees, and result in a reduced life expectancy.įor that reason, the brood area is kept inside these temperatures, while the temperatures in other parts of the hive fluctuate over a much larger range, and can reach temperatures similar to those outside the hive. The brood needs temperatures to be between 34°-36☌ (93°-97☏). The most important part of a beehive when it comes to temperature control is the area in which the brood is kept. If the temperature inside the hive becomes too hot or too cold, the survival of the colony is threatened.

The right temperature means the colony can raise the brood under stable conditions, as well as survive harsh temperatures in both winter and summer. The internal temperature of a beehive plays a vital role in the overall health of the colony. This has forced them to develop incredible hive temperature regulation methods to help control the internal temperature. In some areas, honeybees can be subjected to these temperatures on the same day. In many parts of the world, temperatures range from freezing cold to scorching hot throughout the year.

Outside temp