Bees at night

[Moonshae]

What do bees do at night? Since the foragers only go out in the daytime, they clearly react to the light cycle, but what about the bees who do their work in darkness, like the queen and nurse bees? Do they rest when the foragers come in for the night, or do they keep plugging away? Do they maybe have shifts, since the brood needs to be fed regardless of where the sun may be in the sky?

[doak]

I have read some where that house bees work around the clock.
Like you said the larvea has to be fed. I don't suppose the developing larvae/pupae take a break.
Does a new hatching bee quit chewing the capping off when it comes sundown time? I doubt it.
My 2 cents.
doak

[Michael Bush]

They build wax, they feed larvae.  But most of the field bees just hang out.  Literally.

[Bennettoid]

I also think that there may be bees that fly at night. I swear I've been buzzed by an out going girl after dark a few times. Is it possible?

[Mici]

if the pasture is really godd, they will, i had them flying at...9:30 pm, when linden was in bloom, well day is longer now in summer but still..after that i haven't seen them flying, so..conditions!! plus a friend has a photo of bees, he had t o use flash :-D linden again. otherwise...if you disturb them..

[LocustHoney]

What I thought was neat to see was that some bees stay out on my porch or wherever I have left some comb out for them to clean up. They get up in the morning and get to work.

[Brian D. Bray]

Mostly at niight the bees don't fly, but they can sure crawl.  My older brother once thought it would be a good idea to harvest the honey at night.  As he was removing the super the bees crawled out of the hive, in mass, and and up his pants legs.  He got stung real bad.

I've experienced a few bees flying at night, usually in response to a defence type stimulus. 

[Michael Bush]

>I also think that there may be bees that fly at night. I swear I've been buzzed by an out going girl after dark a few times. Is it possible?

I haven't watched on a full moon, but Dee Lusby says she's seen them fly in a full moon.  Bees don't have good night vision.  That's why they are in a hurry to get home at night.

[BBHJ]

IDK but I would think that drones would be more active night flyers compared to workers. It just seems like they would to me but like I said IDK.

Kind of off topic but something that I'd like to share is that the bees from our best hive fly from before the sun rises all of the way until its dark. There is a wood line about 1/2 mile in front of the hive. This is the direction that the sun rises as well as the direction the hive enterance faces. Scout bees start flying out about 10 minutes (that I know of anyway, could be even sooner) before the top of the sun rises over the woods, so its still a wee bit dark. There is also a wood line where the sun sets and in the direction that the rear of the hive faces. That wood line is about 1/3 mile away from my hive. Bees are still slowly comming in way after the sun goes behind those woods. Street lights are on and its what I really consider to be dark. There is a little bit of light, about like a full moon night, so its not completely dark. I dont think any of our other hives work as long of hours every day as this one does. I'm pretty shure the others get started about 20 min. or so later, & quit about 45 min. or so sooner.