How Long Can Bees Survive Without Food?

That buzzing sound you hear is burning calories. Bees are constantly using up their energy. It’s the primary reason they drop dead 6 weeks after they reach adulthood. They burn energy constantly, especially when foraging. Whilst in the hive, they need to keep the brood warm using their wing muscles to generate heat. Honeybees don’t hibernate so even during the winter, they are still burning those calories.

Honeybees need about 11mg of dry sugar a day. Since nature prefers to offer nutrition in liquid form, that translates to 22 microlitres (μL) per worker per day, in a solution that’s 50% sugar. When the experts do the math, a colony of 50,000 bees would consume 700 lbs of 1:1 (sugar to water) sugar syrup a year, not including brood rearing energy requirement. If you consider the size of a bee, there don’t have much space to store any fat they can metabolize as we do, so they need food every day.

Another way to approach this question is how long can bees go without foraging. 

Factors Affecting Survival Without Food

Species

There are a variety of bee species, and their ability to survive without food can differ. As mentioned above, honeybee workers need an average of 11 mg of sugar a day. In contrast, solitary bees can hibernate for months, meaning they are in suspended animation where they don’t consume any food until the spring. However, once they are active, they too need to find nectar as soon as possible since they consume a lot of energy flying from one place to another.

Temperature

Temperature is an essential factor affecting a bee’s survival without food. Cold temperatures can slow down a bee’s metabolism, allowing it to conserve energy and consume less sugar. Warmer temperatures, on the other hand, may cause the bee to use up its energy reserves more quickly.

Health

A bee’s overall health can also impact how long it can live without food. Healthy bees with ample energy stores are more likely to survive long periods without nourishment. Conversely, bees suffering from illness or other health issues may not be able to survive as long without food.

Although bees can live without food for a certain amount of time, they must find food sources, such as nectar and pollen, as soon as possible. As Wildyards.com states, bees can only survive up to 24 hours without nectar and pollen. 

Food Sources for Bees

Nectar

Nectar is a sugar-rich liquid produced by plants to attract pollinators, such as bees. It serves as the primary food source for bees, supplying them with carbohydrates needed for energy. When a bee consumes nectar, it’s stored in a special organ called the honey stomach. The nectar is later regurgitated and processed into honey by worker bees in the hive.

Foraging bees collect nectar from flowers and bring it back to the colony. 

Pollen

Pollen is another crucial food source for bees, providing these insects with proteins, lipids, and minerals required for growth and development. Bees collect pollen from flowers while foraging for nectar, and the pollen sticks to their fuzzy bodies. Inside the hive, pollen is used to create bee bread, a mixture of pollen, honey, and enzymes that serves as a primary source of nourishment for the colony’s larvae.

Not only does pollen consumption benefit the bees, but it also enables the pollination of plants, contributing to biodiversity and plant reproduction.

Honey

Honey is a product of bee-processed nectar, and it serves as an essential long-term food source for the hive. During times when nectar is scarce, bees rely on honey to sustain themselves. The high sugar content in honey provides an energy source for the bees, allowing them to carry out their daily activities and maintain the hive.

honey hive board

Impact of Food Scarcity on Bees

Food scarcity significantly affects the lifespan and behavior of bees. When bees face a lack of food, they need to work harder and for longer hours to find sustenance. As a result, the worker bees’ average life expectancy, which is typically around 5-6 weeks (Schulz, 1998), decreases due to the increased strain on their bodies.

When food is scarce, honeybees tend to prioritize the well-being of the colony. They might resort to foraging in riskier areas outside of their normal range, potentially putting them in danger. Furthermore, bees consume some of the stored honey within the hive.

As food scarcity affects the health and vitality of individual bees, it also impacts the whole colony’s productivity. When worker bees cannot gather enough food to support the colony, the queen’s reproductive rate declines, which results in a smaller colony. This can ultimately reduce the colony’s capacity to pollinate plants, leading to decreased crop yields and potential food shortages (The Guardian, 2020).

In conclusion, food scarcity has the potential to destabilize bee colonies and affect their ability to serve as essential pollinators for our ecosystems. It is vital to address the issue of declining bee populations and take measures to protect their habitats and food sources.

Strategies to Support Bees

Planting Bee-Friendly Flora

One of the most effective ways to support bees is by planting a variety of flowers and plants that provide nectar and pollen. Bees are particularly attracted to flowers and plants with bright colors such as yellow, blue, and purple. Choose a mix of flowering plants that bloom at different times throughout the year to ensure a continuous source of food for bees. Native plants are also a great option, as they are well-suited to local environmental conditions and provide familiar food sources for bees.

Providing Water

Bees need water for drinking and for regulating the temperature in the hive, so providing a water source can be very helpful. You can easily create a bee-friendly water station by filling a shallow dish with water and adding small pebbles, marbles, or twigs that can serve as landing spots for the bees. Be sure to check and refill the water station regularly, especially during hot and dry periods.

Avoiding Pesticides

Pesticides, particularly those containing neonicotinoids, can be harmful to bees and other pollinators. These chemicals can affect a bee’s ability to navigate and forage, and in some cases, can even be lethal. To support bees, consider using alternative pest control methods such as biological control, integrated pest management, and planting pest-resistant plant varieties. When it’s necessary to use pesticides, opt for bee-friendly options and follow label instructions carefully to minimize any potential harm to bees.

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