Editing Winter cluster (section)

{{Short description|Cluster of honey bees in cold temperatures}}
In [[beekeeping]], a '''winter cluster''' is a well-defined cluster of [[honey bee]]s that forms inside a [[Beehive (beekeeping)|beehive]] when the air temperature dips below {{convert|10|to|14|C|F}}. Honey bees are one of only a few kinds of insects that survive the winter as a colony. As the outside air temperature decreases the winter cluster becomes tighter and more compact. The bees cling tightly together on the [[Honeycomb|combs]] in the hive. The temperature within the winter cluster remains remarkably warm regardless of the outside air temperature. Larger clusters ([[basketball]] size) have a better chance for survival than smaller clusters ([[softball]] size). The winter cluster within the hive must move throughout the winter to reach the available honey stored in the combs.<ref>Charles D. Owens [http://www.beesource.com/pov/usda/thermology/techbulletin1429.htm THE THERMOLOGY OF WINTERING HONEY BEE COLONIES]</ref>

Some die-off is expected during the winter. In extended cold weather periods, the incidence of [[Diseases of the honey bee#Nosema disease|''Nosema'' disease]] increases and the cluster may weaken as many bees begin dying off.<ref>Basil Furgala. 1975. Chapter XVI; Fall Management and the Wintering of Productive Colonies. In: ''The hive and the honeybee''. Dept. of Entomology, [[University of Minnesota]], Dadant.</ref>