December 24, 2010 I wanted to let you know that the bees are fine and cozy in their respective beehive. As many of you know, here in Minnesota we have had a lot of snow so far, and somewhat colder temperature than usual.
The snow is fine for the bees, it acts as a natural insulator. As for the cold, well the honeybees have to cuddle a little tighter, and rotate like penguins to keep their little clustered buddies warm. With their constant movements, the bees generate warmth...if we were to put our hand inside the beehive into the cluster, we would be surprised to feel 80 degree F (23C). However, the hive itself is cold just like the outside temperature. Unlike us who need a heated home during winter, the honeybees need to be warm themselves to survive. By eating the honey that we left them, and moving their tiny legs, they have that incredible capacity to survive the cold.
We wish our friends and family a Merry Christmas!
