How Bees Beat the Heat: Inside the Summer Hive
Summer might feel glorious to us—with garden picnics, longer evenings, and (if we’re lucky) blue skies overhead—but for bees, it presents a unique challenge. Just like us, bees can struggle in the heat, and inside a busy hive packed with thousands of warm, buzzing bodies, keeping cool is essential for survival.
The average hive can hold up to 50,000 bees in summer, and they generate a surprising amount of heat just by going about their daily tasks. But unlike humans, bees don’t have the luxury of ice-cold drinks or shady parasols. So how do they keep their hive from turning into an oven?
It all starts with ventilation. Bees are expert air-conditioners. They use their wings to fan the air, creating airflow through the hive. You’ll often find bees lining up at the entrance, wings buzzing furiously to pull cool air in and push warm air out. This collective effort helps regulate the temperature and humidity inside the hive, keeping it around a stable 35°C—ideal for brood development.
Then there’s water collection. During hot spells, foragers shift focus from nectar to water. They gather droplets from ponds, puddles, and even dewy leaves, then bring them back to the hive. Once inside, worker bees spread the water across the honeycomb and evaporate it by fanning, much like how our sweat cools us through evaporation.
Another clever tactic? Bee spacing. In peak summer, bees instinctively spread out to avoid overcrowding. Some bees even leave the hive during the hottest part of the day to reduce internal body heat and give more space to the queen and brood. It’s all part of the hive’s finely tuned self-regulation system.
And speaking of the queen—she’s kept at the perfect temperature at all times. The worker bees prioritize her comfort above all else, surrounding her and adjusting their fanning and water distribution accordingly. A healthy queen means a healthy hive.
At Just Bee, we’re constantly in awe of how sophisticated and efficient these tiny pollinators are. Every member of the hive plays their part, adapting instinctively to ensure the colony thrives—even during a 30-degree heatwave!
So next time you’re sheltering in the shade with a cold drink, spare a thought for the bees. They’re out there working hard—not just gathering nectar, but expertly managing hive life in the summer heat. Nature’s air-con unit is alive and well, and it’s got wings.
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What a great insight into the lives of our beloved bees. I didn’t know about their air con behaviour and am in awe as to how something so small with such a small brain can hold so much information and know how. It puts us humans to shame.
How clever and practical theses little bees are. Useing there wings to cool the hive and help there queen and the others to stay alive as they work there magic. Producing amazing products f use to thrive. I say big cheers to theses lovely little souls. We see them polunating are plants there so pretty and when one feels like there caught behind a walk if glass they will sometimes sit on your finger to take them to the open door, there so many different types, and all so lovely what a joy it is to share are life’s with theses adorable special creatures.
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this article. I am so happy to learn all the ways that the bees keep cool and look after the other bees and of course the most important one I guess,the Queen. Please keep giving us more information about the fascinating world of bees, and of course let us plant more seeds , and grow more flowers for the bees, so we can enjoy more honey.Thank you.