Where Do Bees Go in the Winter?

As the chill of winter sets in, the behavior of bees shifts dramatically as they try to bunker down to survive the cold. The fate of these essential pollinators during the colder months varies greatly depending on their species. While some bees, like bumblebees, enter a form of hibernation where the queens burrow deep into the ground to wait out the cold, other species like honeybees, take a more communal approach. Honeybees gather in tight clusters within their hives and constantly vibrate their wings to generate heat to keep the queen and themselves warm. Meanwhile, solitary bee species might find refuge in hollow flower stems, under leaf piles, or in small crevices where they will lay dormant until warmer temperatures draw them out. These varied methods of surviving colder winter temperatures reflect the bees' adaptability and resilience that allow them to weather the winter and emerge again in the warmer months.

Do Bees Die in Winter?

During the winter months, the survival of bee colonies is never guaranteed, and some colonies unfortunately do not make it through. The likelihood of a colony dying in the winter can be influenced by several factors. A smaller bee population in a colony may struggle to generate enough heat to survive the colder temperatures, as bees rely on clustering together for warmth. Additionally, if the colony has not gathered enough food stores during the warmer months, they may not have sufficient resources to sustain them through winter when foraging is not possible. Another critical factor is the health of the colony. Colonies entering winter with existing diseases, parasites, or viral infections are at a higher risk of not surviving the cold season.



In 2021, the United States witnessed a significant loss of its managed bee colonies during the winter, with an estimated 32.2% of farmed bee colonies not surviving. This high rate of loss highlights the challenges bees face during winter and the importance of maintaining healthy, well-prepared colonies. Ensuring that bee populations are strong, disease-free, and have ample food reserves is crucial for their survival during the winter months. The loss of bees in winter is a concern not only for beekeepers but also for ecosystems and agriculture, given the essential role bees play in pollination.

Do Bees Hibernate in the Winter?

In cooler climates where winter brings a scarcity of flowers, bees adopt unique strategies to survive the cold months. Some species like bumble bees and solitary bees enter a dormant phase, but they do not hibernate in the traditional sense like some mammals. Other species, like honeybees utilize a different strategy to survive the cold. Instead of becoming inactive, the honeybee colony collectively works to maintain warmth. Inside the hive, bees engage in a continuous effort to keep the temperature stable for their queen. They do this by vigorously vibrating their flight muscles to generate heat much like a tiny furnace. This activity is crucial for their survival because it prevents the colony from freezing and ensures the queen stays warm.

How Do Honeybees Get Ready for Winter?

As winter approaches, honeybees engage in a series of meticulously planned activities to ensure their survival through the colder months. Throughout the summer, worker bees are busy collecting nectar and pollen from flowers, which they then convert into honey and store within the hive. This honey serves as their primary food source during winter when foraging is not possible. Honeybees often produce far more money than they need for the winter which is a safety precaution to ensure that the hive is able to maintain their activity to keep the queen warm. Bees vibrate their wings at a constant pace for several months which requires a lot of resources to ensure the bees survive. Without a surplus, if the bees run out of resources before warm temperatures return, the bees will perish.

As autumn sets in, the queen bee's behavior shifts in preparation for winter. During this period, she lays starts to lay eggs that develop into a unique type of bee known as the 'winter bee.' These winter bees differ physically from their summer counterparts and have a significantly longer lifespan. Their primary role is to maintain the hive's survival through the winter. They are tasked with keeping the colony warm by clustering around the queen and vibrating their bodies to generate heat. This concerted effort ensures that the hive remains a viable, living organism throughout the cold months that is ready to emerge and thrive again in the spring.



Efficiency and conservation are key in winter. Bees are aware of the limited food resources, so worker bees take pragmatic measures by evicting male drones from the hive as winter approaches. Since drones' primary role is to mate with the queen, they serve zero purpose with the queen not taking mating flights in winter. This makes the drones a drain on the hive's precious resources, so the males are forcibly removed from the hive by worker bees in late fall.

How Do Honeybees Survive Winter

Once the cold weather arrives, honeybees implement their sophisticated survival strategy designed to withstand the cold. When temperatures drop below 50°F (10°C), winter honeybees retreat into their hives and form what is known as a winter cluster. This structure is essentially a giant blob of bees that remained huddled together for warmth over several months. This winter cluster is essential for the hive's survival and requires a robust population of specially adapted winter bees, ample honey stores for sustenance, and a secure hive structure. Winter bees are physiologically different from their bees that hatched during warmer months. They are slightly plumper and have a longer lifespan which is essential for maintaining the hive's warmth throughout the winter months. Depending on the climate the colony is in, winter could last between 4-6 months. This in turn requires that winter bees be able to survive that duration otherwise the colony would collapse before spring.



Inside the winter cluster, bees generate heat by constantly shivering and contracting the muscles used for powering their wings. This activity keeps the queen and the rest of the hive warm, with the core of the cluster maintaining temperatures as high as 90-100°F. The structure of the cluster is dynamic and changes as bees on the colder, outer layer rotate with those in the warmer, inner core. This movement ensures that no bee is exposed to the cold for too long. Honey that is accumulated during the warmer months is critical during this period as it serves as the colony’s only food source. The bees cannot leave the cluster because they risk freezing in colder temperatures, so having accessible honey stores within the hive is important. 

What Bees Make Up the Winter Cluster?

The composition of a honeybee hive undergoes a significant transformation in preparation for the cold. The social structure of honeybees typically comprises of workers, drones, and the queen. This changes in the late summer as the male drones die off, leaving only the female workers and the queen. The hive's winter survival depends on this all-female group, which forms a tightly packed cluster known as the winter cluster. Within this cluster, the queen occupies the warmest, central position, while the worker bees surround her. The workers engage in a shivering motion to generate heat and maintain a survivable temperature inside the hive.



The winter cluster is particularly unique due to the presence of 'winter bees.' These bees make up a specialized caste of worker bees developed for overwintering. These bees are produced by the queen in the fall and are fed a protein-scarce diet during their larval stage which results in the development of an enlarged body. This adaptation enhances their metabolism, boosts their immune system, and significantly extends their lifespan to around six months which is dramatically longer when compared to the typical six-week lifespan of normal worker bees. The outer layer of the cluster is usually formed by older worker bees, while the younger, more robust winter bees are found towards the middle. These layers are constantly shifting with bees rotating inward to prevent any single bee from being exposed to the cold for too long. 

How Hot Does the Winter Cluster Get?

The winter cluster formed by honeybees is a marvel of natural temperature regulation. At the heart of the cluster, where the queen can be found, the temperatures can reach an impressively warm 90–100 °F (32–37 °C). This central warmth is critical for the survival of the queen and by extension, the entire colony. The outer surface of the cluster, or the mantle, experiences cooler temperatures often hovering around 50 °F. This temperature is maintained by the bees' continuous movement and the vibration of their wing muscles. On days when external temperatures rise above 50 °F, bees seize the opportunity to leave the hive briefly for cleansing flights. This allows them to relieve themselves which is necessary for their hygiene and the overall cleanliness of the beehive. In regions with milder winters, where temperatures seldom drop below 50 °F, honeybee colonies remain active and continue working throughout the year. 

What Do Bees Eat in the Winter?

The diet of honeybees shifts significantly as they rely on the honey they meticulously stored during spring, summer, and fall. Pollen is their normal food source during the year, but this takes a backseat in winter as flowers are no longer blooming. Instead, honey becomes their primary food source. This honey is rich in sugar and is a great source of nutrition that converts to energy which is important because the process of generating heat within the hive requires a substantial amount of energy. Bees are able to maintain internal hive temperatures by vibrating their flight muscles. This action demands a high caloric intake, which is adequately provided by their honey reserves. 

Do All Bee Species Survive the Winter Like This?

While many might assume bees don't survive the harsh conditions of winter, the truth is that different bee species employ a variety of specialized strategies and adaptations to successfully endure the cold months.

How Do Bumblebees Survive Winter?

Bumblebees exhibit a unique approach to surviving winter that is quite different from their honeybee cousins. As autumn sets in, the bumblebee colony's lifecycle leads to the demise of the workers, males, and the old queen. The only members that survive are the newly mated queen bumblebees, who prepare to become dormant during their overwintering phase. These queens consume large amounts of nectar and pollen to build up fat reserves which are essential for their month’s long hibernation like state. They then seek out overwintering sites where they can burrow underground in loose soil, earth banks, or even take refuge in man-made structures like flowerpots. Anywhere they can remain sheltered until early spring warmth arrives is an appropriate spot for a bumble bee to remain hidden during the winter.



With the arrival of spring, these queens emerge from their hibernation ready to replenish their energy with nectar and start a new generation of bumble bees. They find suitable sites to build nests and lay their first brood of eggs. Interestingly, in recent years, there has been a shift in the behavior of some bumblebee species in milder regions and urban areas. Instead of hibernating, some bumble bee queens have been observed establishing overwintering nests that are near winter-flowering plants. This could indicate a significant ecological change possibly driven by climate and environmental factors. 

How Do Solitary Bees Survive Winter?

Solitary bees encompass a diverse range of species like tawny mining bees and red mason bees. These bees often have a unique approach to surviving winter. Unlike social bees, solitary bees do not form colonies. In solitary bee species, each female bee is observed building a nest to support her offspring. After mating in the spring, these female bees lay eggs in nest cells and provide them with pollen stores for nourishment. Throughout summer, the larvae grow in these cells before eventually pupating and maturing into adult bees by autumn. However, instead of emerging immediately, these newly formed adult bees remain in a state of torpor within their cocoons so they can hibernate through the winter months. They emerge from their cells when temperatures start to rise, and the blooming of early flowers starts.



The lifecycle and overwintering strategy of solitary bees vary significantly among species. Some species like Tawny mining bees overwinter as adults in their cocoons. Other species like the Leafcutter and Wool carder bees spend the winter in the larval stage. This period of inactivity allows them to survive the cold without the need for food. 

When Do Different Bee Species Emerge from Their Winter Hibernation?

Different bee species have varied timings for emerging from their winter hibernation. The timing of each species’ emergence is largely influenced by the availability of their preferred nectar sources and the ambient temperature. Most queen bumblebees typically hibernate from autumn until spring and awaken around late March or early April. Certain solitary bees emerge around this time as well while others may wait to take flight until later in the summer. The primary cue for these bees to end their hibernation is the temperature, but climate change is causing fluctuations and unseasonal weather patterns, which can disrupt this natural cycle. There have been increasing instances where bees emerge prematurely due to an unseasonably warm spell, only to find a lack of food sources if the temperature suddenly drops again. This can be devastating and cause bees to die prematurely which can have significant impacts on the surrounding ecology for the following season.



Honeybees, on the other hand, remain active in a different way throughout winter. They cluster together in the hive when temperatures fall below a certain temperature. Depending on the region, winter could be considered over anytime between March and May. During the late winter when temperatures start to rise, the queen bee begins to lay eggs again to ensure the colony is ready to start working once there are available resources to collect. With the arrival of spring and the blooming of flowers, the colony's population rapidly expands as the new generation of bees begins foraging for fresh nectar and pollen, signaling a rejuvenation of hive activity after the quieter winter months.

Contact EcoGuard if You Are Dealing with Bees

Understanding the diverse and fascinating ways bees adapt to winter highlights the complexity of these vital pollinators. However, if you find yourself facing an issue with bees near your home or business, it's crucial to handle it with care and expertise. EcoGuard Pest Management offers professional, eco-friendly solutions for bee removal that ensure the safety of both the bees and the people in the vicinity. Our team is trained to manage bee situations responsibly so we can preserve the essential role these insects play in our ecosystem. If you're in need of assistance with bee removal, don't hesitate to reach out to EcoGuard Pest Management for knowledgeable and humane bee removal service.

Do Bees Hibernate FAQs