If it seems like there are fewer stinging pests around come wintertime, you’re not wrong. There are some buzzing bugs that don’t make it through the cold days of winter. Find out if bees hibernate.

Do Bees Hibernate?

Honey Bees

If you find bees buzzing in the wintertime, you might be looking at honey bees. They do not hibernate and live throughout the entire winter. It’s their job to continue to keep the nest warm and safe. While the colony is smaller during the wintertime, it can still have thousands of members.

Bumble Bees

Bumblebee colonies do not survive the winter. In fact, only a select few live to see springtime while the vast majority die.

Bumble bees do not maintain colonies throughout the winter. Instead, the last brood of the summer colony will contain a number of queens. Each of these queens will mate and then find a safe nesting place in which to spend the winter. This is usually just a small hole in the ground or another protected spot just big enough for her. Only the queen bumble bees hibernate until spring. The rest of the colony dies.

Bumble Bee Queens

The last brood of the summer bumblebee colony contains some queen bees. These queens mate, then find a safe spot to spend the wintertime. In the small hole in the ground or another protected spot, she hibernated until spring. In this hibernation stage, she has a depressed metabolism rate that allows her to live without burning too much energy. When it’s time to come out of hibernation, she has to find a suitable nesting spot, collect pollen to make herself a honey snack, and then reproduce to create the new colony.

ExtermPRO Handles Stinging Pest Infestations Year-Round

Bees should not invade your yard or home any time of year. Your neighborhood pros at ExtermPRO are here help keep your home free from bees in Virginia that sting. We know just how to handle these infestations and when it’s important to relocate a hive instead of exterminating it. Need help with a hive? Call us today at 571-620-1168 to schedule a stinging pest control service.