Have you ever stepped outside on a hot summer day and instantly regretted it? The kind of heat that makes you rethink every life decision, including why you even left the house? Now imagine spending the entire day flying under that same scorching sun, with no shade, no breaks, and your entire home at risk of overheating.
That’s a regular summer day for bees.
Bees don’t get a choice. They work through the heat, no matter how brutal it gets. But that doesn’t mean they don’t feel it. While they’re built to handle warm weather, extreme temperatures can push them to their limits.
Let’s talk about how they handle the heat (and what happens when it gets too much).
Can Bees Overheat?
Yes, bees can get too hot. While they are tough little creatures, they aren’t immune to extreme weather. What happens if bees get too hot? Well, just like us, they can overheat, get exhausted, and even die if temperatures climb too high.
Bees are most comfortable when the temperature inside their hive is around 35°C (95°F). If it gets too hot, especially above 40°C (104°F), things start to get risky. The wax in the hive can soften and melt, making their honeycomb collapse. Imagine your entire home structure getting wobbly and sticky—that’s what a heatwave feels like for a bee colony.
What Happens to Bees in the Summer?
Summer is the peak season for bees. Flowers are in full bloom, nectar is flowing, and the colony is working overtime. But the intense heat brings challenges.
● Dehydration: Bees lose moisture quickly in high temperatures, so they constantly need water to stay hydrated.
● Overheating in the Hive: The hive can become an oven if bees don’t regulate the temperature properly.
● Increased Foraging: Since summer offers an abundance of food, bees are out foraging more than ever, but extreme heat can make their long trips exhausting.
So, how do they survive the heat? That’s where their incredible teamwork comes in.
How Bees Keep Cool
Bees don’t have the luxury of air conditioning, but they have their own clever cooling strategies.
1. They Become Tiny Air Conditioners
Ever seen bees standing at the entrance of a hive, fanning their wings like crazy? They’re not just goofing around, they’re ventilating the hive. This process helps circulate air and cool things down inside. Think of it as a bee-powered fan system.
2. They Bring in Water
Bees actively collect water and spread droplets throughout the hive. Then, they fan their wings over these droplets, creating a mini evaporative cooling effect.
3. They Adjust Their Work Schedule
So, do bees come out when it's hot? Yes, but they time their trips carefully. Bees tend to be most active when temperatures are between 16°C and 32°C (60°F–90°F). If it gets too hot, they’ll stay inside the hive during the hottest part of the day and resume foraging when it’s cooler.
What Temperature Are Bees Most Active?
Bees love warmth, but only to a certain extent. They thrive in temperatures between 21°C and 32°C (70°F–90°F). Anything below 13°C (55°F) is too cold for them to fly, and anything above 38°C (100°F) can be dangerous.
On extremely hot days, bees will reduce their activity, just like we might take a break from outdoor work. Instead of flying around all day, they’ll do shorter trips, rest in shady spots, or focus on keeping the hive cool.
How Can We Help Bees in Hot Weather?
If you want to help your local bees survive the summer heat, here are a few simple things you can do:
- Leave out fresh water: A shallow dish with small stones or twigs (so they don’t drown) makes a perfect bee water station.
- Plant bee-friendly flowers: Flowers like lavender, sunflowers, and clover provide both nectar and a shady rest stop.
- Avoid unsafe pesticides: Chemicals can weaken bees, making it harder for them to cope with heat stress.
- Provide shade: If you keep a beehive, make sure part of it is shaded during peak heat hours.
Conclusion
Bees don’t get the luxury of lying under a fan with a cold drink, but they have their own survival tricks. And even with all that, extreme temperatures can still put them in danger.
A little human help goes a long way though. Shallow dishes of water, a few shady spots in the garden, and avoiding harmful pesticides can make a difference. Because if bees stop buzzing, so does our entire food system—and that’s a summer disaster no one wants.
References
CBC (2024). Honey, I'm hot! What summer heat does to honeybees. Retrieved from https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-heat-hot-weather-honeybees-beekeepers-1.7261219
Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (2019). How bees stay cool on hot summer days. Retrieved from https://seas.harvard.edu/news/2019/02/how-bees-stay-cool-hot-summer-days