Most bee species are active during the day, leading many to wonder about their activity after sunset. While primarily diurnal, their nighttime behaviors differ significantly from their daytime routines.
Bees Are Daytime Flyers
Most bee species are diurnal, meaning they are active when the sun is out. They forage for nectar and pollen, expand their colony, and defend their hive. Bees rely on sunlight for navigation, using the sun’s position as a compass to find their way back. Their compound eyes are adapted for bright conditions, detecting patterns and colors that guide them to food sources.
Why Bees Avoid Night Flight
The primary reasons most bees do not venture out at night relate to their sensory biology and environmental conditions. They depend on polarized and ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun for precise navigation, cues largely absent in darkness. Their compound eyes are not designed for low-light vision, hindering flight. Additionally, bees are cold-blooded insects, and lower night temperatures make maintaining body heat energy-intensive. Nocturnal predators pose a greater risk, and many pollinated flowers close at night, reducing available resources.
Rare Nighttime Foragers
A small number of bee species have adapted to low-light conditions, representing about one percent of all known bees. These include crepuscular bees, active during dawn or dusk, and a few truly nocturnal species like the Indian Carpenter bee. Specialized bees, such as some Megalopta sweat bees, possess adaptations like larger simple eyes, called ocelli, or even enlarged compound eyes, allowing them to gather more light. Some species, like the Asian giant honeybee, can even perceive colors in dim light. Foraging at night or twilight offers these bees less competition for nectar and pollen from daytime pollinators.
Life Inside the Dark Hive
When bees are not foraging, their activities shift to maintaining the colony within the hive. Inside the dark hive, bees process nectar into honey by fanning their wings to reduce moisture. They also care for larvae and pupae, build and repair wax comb, and clean the hive.
Bees regulate the hive’s temperature, keeping the brood warm. While some bees rest, younger bees often have shorter sleep cycles and perform many of these housekeeping duties throughout the night.