As many Canadians would echo, summer days can turn blazing hot. A phrase often thrown around is "Hot enough for ya?", signifying the shared struggle against the season's warmth. While we humans can duck indoors, cooled by modern air conditioning, what about the diligent honey bees? Residing in a multi-level structure without any fans or coolers, they too need to combat the summer's challenges.
The core of their hive, the honeycomb, is paramount to their survival. This waxy structure is vulnerable to heat. If exposed to high temperatures, the wax weakens and can cave in, jeopardizing both their stored honey and the next generation of bees developing within. Picture this: a single frame filled with honey can tip the scale between 5 to 11 pounds. In a hive box containing ten such frames, you're looking at a whopping 100 pounds. That's a lot to safeguard from the sweltering sun!
One fascinating tactic they employ is "bearding." To the untrained eye, it appears as if bees are lazing at their entrance. But in reality, they're making a strategic exit to reduce the internal temperature. This move, which is often mistaken for a swarm, is their first line of defence against the heat.
Keep digging, and you'll find something amazing. Rows of bees position themselves near the hive's entrance, their heads peeking out and tails directed inwards. These bees rapidly flap their wings, inducing a cooling draft inside. This nifty trick is akin to our fans, circulating cooler air within.
But the bees don't stop here. They leverage water and nature's coolant. Specialized bees, often dubbed 'water carriers', embark on the mission to fetch water. On returning, they distribute it within the hive. As fellow bees keep the air in motion, the water begins to evaporate, offering a refreshing chill, much like our evaporative coolers.
Nature is full of amazing things, and the way honey bees cool their hives in the summer is just one example. Honey bees are natural engineers who have come up with solutions to problems that are often more efficient and harmonious than human-made solutions. Canadians can learn a lot from honey bees and other creatures in nature about how to live more sustainably and in harmony with the environment.