Do bees feed each other during winter?

[qa33010]

Hi all!

     I know this is early for most of us.  When the bees are in their winter cluster and there is a long time between warm days how do the outter bees eat, especially if they haven't been inside the cluster in a while?  Also if they are moved inside to warm up and the stores where they are at are empty but stores at another part of the cluster are available will the honey be passed on or will those with no stores starve?  Thanks!  David

[Michael Bush]

Bees feed each other all the time.  All spring.  All summer.  All fall.  All winter.  Yes the edges of the cluster eat honey and pass it in to the bees in the center of the cluster.

[Phoenix]

In order to maintain the temperature of the cluster David, the bees are constantly rotating from the outside towards the center of the cluster and back out.  They do this very slowly, but constantly, so it isn't like the warm bees from the center have to come out to feed the cold bees on the outer edges of the cluster.

Hope this makes things a little more clear.