Wondering how the bees are doing during this cold snap? Afterall, forecasters are predicting a near record long period of freezing weather for the northern Virginia area. Well, the answer is “Just Fine!” Our honeybees are the descendants of bees who migrated from Africa to eastern Europe and have been managed by beekeepers for more than 7,000 years. Since honeybees are tropical insects, and do not hibernate, they have adopted behaviors that allow them to survive very cold weather. When the temperature falls below 55 degrees Fahrenheit, our bees stop foraging and begin clustering together inside the hive and vibrating their flight muscles to generate warmth. The net effect of this behavior is that they can keep the internal temperature of the cluster a toasty 85 – 90 degrees, even when outside temperatures fall below zero. Studies have shown that strong colonies with plenty of food can survive temperatures as cold as minus 40 degrees for extended periods.
