Winter Bees

Worker bees that are laid between October and November and emerge as adults about three weeks later are called "winter bees." The queen stops laying eggs during the winter and resumes in early spring. During this time, winter bees spend over three months inside the dark hive. While worker bees born in spring and summer typically live for 6 to 7 weeks, winter bees live more than twice as long. This is because they are physiologically adapted for overwintering from birth and, unlike summer bees, do not wear themselves out with foraging work.

Honeybees do not hibernate. Instead, winter bees cluster around the queen to keep warm, feeding on stored honey for energy. They care for the brood born in early February and then complete their life cycle. It’s truly a moment that makes you want to say, “Thank you for all your hard work.”