JACKSON, Wyo. — On Thursday, March 28, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service requested that people delay garden and yard work for a few more weeks in respect of the hibernating bees.
“Spring is here, and while we know you’re eager to start sprucing up your outdoor space, we politely and respectfully urge you to buzz off with your yard work,” Fish and Wildlife wrote via social media.
During chilly nights and heavy spring showers, honeybees and ground-nesting bees need cover to stay warm. Approximately, 70% of native bees nest underground in the colder months, while 30% lay eggs in natural, hollow stems, according to Fish and Wildlife.
According to the University of Wyoming, in winter, worker bees will pack together in a cluster to conserve body heat, and the outermost bees act as insulation. Honeybees can survive a wider range of body temperatures than humans. The temperature of the outermost bees of a winter cluster can go down to 50° F, and if temperatures drop lower they enter into a “chill coma,” and cannot wake up until it gets warmer. Once springtime temperatures are consistently above 59° F and flowers start to bloom, the bees will perk up and begin to search for pollen and nectar.
Once the weather is warmer, the queen bee will emerge from her winter hibernacula (a small cavity usually excavated in the soil) in the early spring, and will search for a nest site to rear her brood, and begin the next life cycle.
