The hives at the garden apiary in snow (2022)
Wrapped up in PIR Insulation on the outside and under the roof, the bees stay warm despite the snow. Whatever the outside temperature, the inside of the hive stays at 35c. In the winter, honeybees cluster tightly inside of the hive to stay warm with the queen near the centre of the cluster. The worker bees vibrate their bodies to generate heat. In the summer bees collect water and distribute it on the surface of the comb. By fanning their wings, they cause the water to evaporate which cools down the hive.