[notaclue]

Hi all!

I know this is early for most of us. When the bees are in their winter cluster and there is a long time between warm days how do the outter bees eat, especially if they haven't been inside the cluster in a while? Also if they are moved inside to warm up and the stores where they are at are empty but stores at another part of the cluster are available will the honey be passed on or will those with no stores starve? Thanks! David

 

[Michael Bush]

The outer bees are sualy the only ones eating because the stores are usually gone in the center. The bees at the outside edges eat and share it all the way back to the center.

Bees share food 365 days a year.

 

[Curry]

or, do bees rotate to the inside for warmth? If they rotate, then they wouldn't have to pass food... and they would not get real cold from being on the outside all the time.

 

[iddee]

Curry, you are close to right. They do continually rotate in and out, keeping the temp. constant throughout the cluster.
As for the feeding, I am guessing that the sharing of food is the way they keep the family recognition going, but that part is just a guess.