Editing Winter cluster

{{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>

==Honey bee brood nest==
{{main|Bee brood}}
In subtropical climates, bees may not form a winter cluster at all.  [[Worker bee]]s forage and [[queen bee|queens]] lay eggs almost year-round.{{citation needed|date=January 2019}}

In the temperate zones, winter temperatures dip below {{convert|12|°C|°F|abbr=on}} for extended periods. All brood rearing stops for some period during the winter. In early spring, brood rearing resumes inside the winter cluster when the queen starts to lay eggs again. Once a brood nest is established, the cluster must maintain a steady temperature between {{convert|34.5|and|36.7|C|F}} inside the cluster. If the temperature in areas of the brood nest dips too low the brood could die – also called [[Diseases of the honey bee#Chilled brood|chilled brood]].{{citation needed|date=January 2019}}

==See also==
* [[Hibernation]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Western honey bee behavior]]


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