Author Topic: This may sound dumb (Read 4673 times)

Irwin · « **on:** June 20, 2008, 05:46:07 pm »

:?Do bee's sleep? I have checked my hive at midnight and still heard them buzzing.

eri · « **Reply #1 on:** June 20, 2008, 05:53:14 pm »

Not dumb. I was surprised. The first few google hits stated 'no,' without attribution. Then I found this:

...................
Yes, indeed, bees "sleep". Though there is always a lot of activity in a bee hive, mostly in the brood area where the queen is laying eggs, it is possible to observe worker bees around the edges of the comb and on the side walls that are resting and quiet. Research done as recently as 1988 showed that bees at rest exhibit some of the same characteristics as humans in a sleep period: they don't move around, they don't react to stimuli very readily, their muscles relax, and their body temperature drops. So, while the buzzing in the hive is probably not snoring, research concludes that bees do sleep. (Reference: Southwick, E. E. "Bee sleep". American Bee Journal 131:165-166, 1991)

_Brenda_ · « **Reply #2 on:** June 20, 2008, 06:11:10 pm »

Not dumb. I was wondering that same thing a couple days ago. :-D

Irwin · « **Reply #3 on:** June 20, 2008, 06:31:45 pm »

Thank's eri now I don't feel so dumb. I only got one hive to start out with to see if i can hack it. I have wanted one for a long time finaly got one about two week's ago. I feel like a mother with her first child. scared to death i'm going to do something wrong. That's why i'm here to do a lot of reading. Just doing the reading you guy's have answerd a bunch of question's. Thank's and have a good day

beekybuzzard · « **Reply #4 on:** June 20, 2008, 07:36:35 pm »

Congrats on getting that first hive. I just started this year also and started with 2 hives and went up to 4 a few weeks ago, hope to have 6 by end of summer. This is a great learning place.

Frantz · « **Reply #5 on:** June 20, 2008, 08:55:24 pm »

Irwin,
Actually it is a really dumb question, but with an avatar like that who in the world would tell you it is a dumb question. :-D
Just kidding, Congrats on getting the first hive and welcome to the world of bees. It will slowly but happily enthrall you from here on out. Ask as many questions as you like, you will find there is no such thing as a stupid, or dumb question. This group has helped me a ton, and not just with bees. You will find all kinds of help.
Good luck and don't worry the bees will pretty much guide you along. Just stay observant and don't be afraid to make some mistakes, you will find 1000's of those here and then 10,000 ways to avoid that same mistake next time.
Welcome!!!

annette · « **Reply #6 on:** June 21, 2008, 12:18:56 am »

I was told that bees do not sleep even in the winter cluster. Let's hear from more beeks on this one.

Rex · « **Reply #7 on:** June 21, 2008, 01:08:10 am »

Found this 2007 study abstract from University of TX in Austin for sleep experiments with bees. It references an earlier study done by W. Kaiser in 1988.

http://www.paperwasp.com/pupating/docs/science/Klein_and_Seeley_2007_Sleeplasticity_SLEEP.php

JP · « **Reply #8 on:** June 21, 2008, 05:56:50 am »

Quote from: annette on June 21, 2008, 12:18:56 am

I was told that bees do not sleep even in the winter cluster. Let's hear from more beeks on this one.

Annette, I use to wonder if they slept or not and started looking for signs of bees in repose. I often find bees in repose now, they are motionless, while others are hard at work. You can in fact touch the ones in repose and wake them, they kinda get startled as they come to, kinda funny in a way, really.

...JP

HAB · « **Reply #9 on:** June 21, 2008, 03:03:59 pm »

Way back when (not gonna say just how far) while studying biology at Auburn University, a professor stated that all animate creatures exhibit some signs of sleep. Some just show very few obvious signs. A few sleep by just shutting down one side of the brain at a time. Remember how when hundreds of miles at sea the Albatross continues to fly while asleep.

So many thoughts have changed over the years this may or may not still be the consensus.

asciibaron · « **Reply #10 on:** June 21, 2008, 05:01:04 pm »

Quote from: Irwin on June 20, 2008, 06:31:45 pm

I have wanted one for a long time finaly got one about two week's ago.

welcome to the club. i really enjoy the hobby and this is my first year with a hive.

-Steve

Irwin · « **Reply #11 on:** June 21, 2008, 05:08:03 pm »

Thank's steve how long have you had your bee's.

Irwin

octagon · « **Reply #12 on:** June 21, 2008, 07:49:53 pm »

they only go to sleep right after depositing their stinger in flesh, then it's the big sleep.

DennisB · « **Reply #13 on:** June 21, 2008, 08:32:05 pm »

Jp
That is a neat observation about waking up one of the girls. I guess when there are 50 thousand of them in a box there will always be some buzzing away at all times of the day, no matter how many are at rest.

Dennis

JP · « **Reply #14 on:** June 21, 2008, 08:55:25 pm »

Quote from: DennisB on June 21, 2008, 08:32:05 pm

Jp
That is a neat observation about waking up one of the girls. I guess when there are 50 thousand of them in a box there will always be some buzzing away at all times of the day, no matter how many are at rest.

Dennis

I was doing a cut-out one day and after I exposed the colony I was just staring at it running my eyes across the surface of bees and happened to notice a few here and there that weren't moving, and I touched them and they came to and started moving around like the other bees.

I've since observed others doing the same thing, kinda cool.

...JP

qa33010 · « **Reply #15 on:** June 22, 2008, 01:36:01 am »

Does knocking themselves unconscious as they head butt my helmet count? :evil:

asciibaron · « **Reply #16 on:** June 22, 2008, 02:00:01 am »

Quote from: Irwin on June 21, 2008, 05:08:03 pm

Thank's steve how long have you had your bee's.

since 4 April - this is my first hive and it's shaping up to do well. i have wondered if the bees sleep - i would think they must, just not in the way we do.

-Steve

Brian D. Bray · « **Reply #17 on:** June 22, 2008, 02:04:29 am »

Nothing ever sounds dumb until you say it out loud. Since I read it, it doesn't sound dumb at all, I just wonder if any of the bees suffer from sleep apnea. Now that's a question that would sound dumb so don't say out loud.

Michael Bush · « **Reply #18 on:** July 03, 2008, 11:48:16 pm »

http://www.bushfarms.com/huber.htm#beesinrepose

Frantz · « **Reply #19 on:** July 04, 2008, 01:58:50 am »

I have had my OB hive in the house now for about two weeks. They do sleep. IMO. Some are definately resting at least. At any given time I would say about ten percent of the bees are resting.
F