07/23/2026
Tips for honey bees and beekeepers in hot weather
By: Ana Heck, Michigan State University Extension, and Zachary Huang, Michigan State University Department
Honey bees are generally able to thermoregulate to keep the broodnest at a consistent temperature in a wide range of outside temperatures. A review of short-term weather impacts on honey production states that honey bees often fly at 10–40 degrees Celsius (50–104 degrees Fahrenheit). At higher temperatures, workers increasingly shift from nectar collection to water foraging.
“Honeybee Colony Thermoregulation – Regulatory Mechanisms and Contribution of Individuals in Dependence on Age, Location and Thermal Stress” explains that if the colony is at risk of overheating, honey bees spread water on the combs and fan their wings to evaporate the water, which can cool the temperature inside of the hive. The study “Tolerance and response of two honeybee species Apis cerana and Apis mellifera to high temperature and relative humidity” found that for Apis mellifera, the species of honey bees managed in the U.S., workers become intolerant or unable to turn over when placed on their dorsal, or back, side at 48 C (118 F).
Beekeepers often refer to days with warm weather as "honey-making days," and warm weather can make for good conditions for crop pollination. The optimum temperature for nectar production is highly dependent on the type of plant. Many nectar-producing plants show high nectar secretion under warm, but not extreme, temperatures at roughly 16–32 C (61–90 F) when adequate soil moisture is available.
To continue reading, visit: https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/tips-for-honey-bees-and-beekeepers-in-hot-weather
Photo Caption/Credit: Honey bees bearding on the front of a hive in hot weather. Photo by Dan Wyns, MSU.
This article was originally published by Michigan State University Extension
