Do Bees Sleep?

Most people associate bees with constant activity–flying between flowers to collect pollen and nectar, tending a colony, creating honey or just buzzing around the yard. But bees aren't active around the clock; they definitely do take rest periods that we’d call sleep. And far from just a random question a child might ask, wondering if and when do bees sleep can clue you in to what they are doing in and around your yard and garden. 

Why Do Bees Sleep?

Much like other animals and our human selves, bees need rest. This period of rest, or sleep, helps to maintain their cognitive function–learning, memory, navigation, communication, and normal behavioral performance. Bees need to process complex information, such as remembering where to find good sources of water, pollen and nectar. Studies have shown that when sleep is compromised, European honey bees’ ability to convey key location information in their signature waggle dance is impaired. So just like we will struggle at work if we didn’t sleep well the night before, bee performance can also suffer without sufficient rest. Besides these vital survival factors, rest also puts bees into a reparative state, allowing their tiny bodies to recover and conserve valuable energy.

When Do Bees Sleep?

So, do bees sleep at night? Or some other time of the day? And if it is at night, what time do bees go to sleep? Science knows the answers to some of these questions, but maybe not all. It’s important to acknowledge that specific sleep habits, schedules, and locations will vary greatly depending on bee species, along with individual bee age, role, and whether they live in a colony or alone.

In general, bees that live in colonies start heading home as darkness falls. They require light to forage, so it makes sense that they would take their rest during the darkest hours of the night. Older, foraging honey bees typically sleep for 5 to 8 hours a day, though younger bees or nurse bees that are almost exclusively inside the hive may take short naps in shifts. 

Where Do Bees Sleep?

If you have even a small garden, you may have come outside early in the morning to see bees sleeping in flowers. It is truly one of the most precious sights for a nature-lover to behold. And while this does happen naturally, you’ll likely notice that these are not the typical, female honey bees you are used to seeing visit blooms in your yard. Instead, certain solitary bees and male bees are more likely to be who you find in those sunrise flower naps–a bee resting on a flower doesn't necessarily indicate that a nest is nearby. Solitary bees may also be found to nest in soil, hollow stems, small cavities, and existing holes or tunnels.

As far as European honey bees go, they’re safely tucked into the hive for their daily sleep. But, you may wonder, are bees sleeping in honey? While they may rest on top of capped honey cells or inside empty combs, no, they are not in honey while sleeping. 

What Does A Sleeping Bee Look Like?

Bees do not have eyelids, so their eyes stay open while they sleep. You can tell they are sleeping by their body posture more than anything else. Sleeping bees stop moving their antennae, lower their heads, and let their bodies or wings droop. They will remain still for extended periods of time–hours in fact. Sleeping bees will also be less attentive to sound or other disturbances. If they are especially exhausted, bees may even tip over, falling sideways into a deep rest. This sleepy posture is likely what you’re seeing when you find bees sleeping in flowers, so don’t assume that every motionless bee is dead, especially when you find them early in the day, before the sun is fully up. Cold temperatures, inclement weather, and the natural processes involved in rest will render them motionless. That said, an injured bee or an individual that is at the end of its life may also appear to be sleeping.

Regardless of why they are still, a resting bee generally isn't something that homeowners need to disturb, and they typically pose no danger. If you find a sleeping bee:

• Give the bee space
• Don't poke or handle it
• Keep children and pets from bothering it
• Avoid spraying individual bees unnecessarily

One sleeping bee is not proof of an infestation. The signs of bees living in your home are very clear, and will typically involve repeated bee traffic entering a wall, roofline, tree cavity, or other structure.

Sleeping vs Hibernation

What happens to bees during winter? Do they sleep or hibernate through the cold months? The answer depends entirely on the bee species and whether they are a male, female worker, or the queen herself. Honey bees do not hibernate, but spend the winter months ensuring that the queen stays healthy and warm. This is one reason they make honey–they eat it to survive winter. Meanwhile, solitary bees often die once winter hits, with only the mated queen hibernating and surviving until spring. Every bee has their own way of dealing with seasonal shifts.

Honey Bee Removal In Cleveland

A sleepy bee on a flower usually isn't cause for concern, but repeated bee activity around your siding, roofline, deck, or other parts of your home may indicate a nest that requires professional bee control in Cleveland. If you're unsure what type of bee you're seeing or where it's coming from, contact the experienced team at Cleveland Bee Removal for professional identification and bee removal options appropriate for your property. Otherwise, let sleeping bees lie, and take some time to learn more about these marvelous winged creatures who share our gardens!