As the population increases, the field-worker force also increases. Later in the spring, the population of the colony expands rapidly and the proportion of young bees increases. Drones will be absent or scarce at this time of the year. The bees also gather water to regulate temperature and to liquefy thick or granulated honey in the preparation of brood food. The colony population during the winter usually decreases because old bees continue to die however, colonies with plenty of young bees produced during the fall and an ample supply of pollen and honey for winter usually have a strong population in the spring.ĭuring early spring, the lengthening days and new sources of pollen and nectar stimulate brood rearing. In colonies with a lack of pollen, brood rearing is delayed until fresh pollen is collected from spring flowers, and these colonies usually emerge from winter with reduced populations. The extent of early brood rearing is determined by pollen stores gathered during the previous fall. This new brood aids in replacing the bees that have died during the winter. Colonies that are well supplied with honey and pollen in the fall will begin to stimulatively feed the queen, and she begins egg laying during late December or early January-even in northern areas of the United States. The queen stays within the cluster and moves with it as it shifts position. An extremely prolonged cold spell can prohibit cluster movement, and the bees may starve to death only inches away from honey. During warm periods, the cluster shifts its position to cover new areas of comb containing honey. The bees within the cluster have access to the food stores. As the temperature rises and falls, the cluster expands and contracts. The outer layer of bees is tightly compressed, insulating the bees within the cluster. Under subtropical, tropical, and mild winter conditions, egg laying and brood rearing usually never stop.Īs temperatures drop, the bees draw closer together to conserve heat. During cold winters, the colony is put to its severest test of endurance. The egg laying of the queen bee tapers off and may stop completely during October or November, even if pollen is stored in the combs. Within this cluster the brood (consisting of eggs, larvae, and pupae) is kept warm-about 93° F – with heat generated by the bees. When the temperature drops to 57° F, the bees begin to form a tight cluster. Eliminating drones reduces the consumption of winter honey stores. When nectar in the field becomes scarce, the workers drag the drones out of the hive and do not let them return, causing them to starve to death. Propolis collected from the buds of trees is used to seal all cracks in the hive and reduce the size of the entrance to keep out cold air. The young bees survive the winter, while the old ones gradually die. Depending on the age and egg-laying condition of the queen, the proportion of old bees in the colony decreases. In the fall a reduction in the amounts of nectar and pollen coming into the hive causes reduced brood rearing and diminishing population. The condition of the colony at this time of year greatly affects its prosperity for the next year.ġResearch entomologist, Science and Education Administration, Carl Hayden Center for Bee Research, Tuscon, Ariz. The period from September to December might be considered the beginning of a new year for a colony of honey bees. The activities of a colony vary with the seasons. The bees cluster loosely over several wax combs, the cells of which are used to store honey (carbohydrate food) and pollen (protein food) and to rear young bees to replace old adults. A colony normally has only one queen, whose sole function is egg laying. Seasonal cycles of activities in honey bee colonyĪ colony of honey bees comprises a cluster of several to 60,000 workers (sexually immature females), a queen (a sexually developed female), and, depending on the colony population and season of year, a few to several hundred drones (sexually developed males).
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