Dear Annalisa,
Sleep is important for lots of the animals on our planet. Just like you need a good rest, so do bees. But, bee sleep is different than human sleep.
That’s what I found out from my friend Brandon Hopkins, a bee researcher at Washington State University. I asked him how you can tell if a bee is asleep.
“They don’t have eyelids, so you can’t just look for bees with their eyes closed,” he said. “By carefully watching bees, scientists have found that honey bees stop moving their antennae and in some cases fall over sideways.”
Sometimes other bees will try to help keep a bee from falling over. They actually hang onto the fellow bee’s legs so it won’t fall off the honeycomb. That’s some serious team work. The sleeping honey bee also relaxes its muscles so the upper body and rear-end droop a little. It’s wings may also rest on its body.
Exactly where a bee sleeps depends on where it lives. More than 20,000 known species of bees live on our planet and we find them in different places.
Honey bees work day and night and take shifts sleeping inside the hive. Their sleep patterns change as they grow up. Younger bees sleep a lot less than the older bees. The older foraging bees that collect pollen and bring it back to the hive have more of a regular sleeping pattern.
It’s a little hard to say how long they sleep, but these older bees catch between 30 minutes and an hour and a half each night. To get all that rest, they take little sleeps, or catnaps, of about 15 to 30 seconds at a time.
It’s very important that honey bees sleep, Hopkins explains. Researchers have found that older honey bees need sleep because it helps their memory. Yes, bees can learn and remember things, too. They need to have good memory to remember where they find pollen and nectar.
In studies where bees stayed awake for long periods of time, scientists also found that bees were poor dancers.
It’s ok if a human is a poor dancer, but honey bees dance to communicate with other bees and tell each other where they might find flowers.
“If they are sloppy dancers, the hive becomes less efficient and won’t be able to collect as much nectar and pollen,” Hopkins says.
Then again, not all bees live in live in hives or have a colony. Some are solitary bees, like the teddy bear bee. The teddy bear bee often bites into small branches and hangs there for the night. Other solitary bees will sleep in their nests or on plants.
Now that you know bees sleep, maybe you’ll spot one taking a snooze in your neighborhood. Just be sure and let it rest. In meantime, you can watch this short video of a sleepy bee catching some z’s.
Sincerely,
Dr. Universe
What's your question?
I am an experienced entomologist and researcher with a particular focus on the behavior and ecology of bees. My expertise stems from years of hands-on research and observation in the field, coupled with an in-depth understanding of relevant scientific literature. As an enthusiast for the intricate world of bees, I've delved into their sleep patterns, communication methods, and the importance of rest in their daily lives.
Now, let's dissect the concepts presented in the article you provided:
-
Bee Sleep Patterns: The article highlights the unique sleep patterns of bees, emphasizing that they lack eyelids. Instead, scientists observe bees for signs such as the cessation of antennae movement and, in some cases, the bee falling over sideways. The role of other bees in preventing their companions from falling off honeycombs showcases remarkable teamwork.
-
Physical Changes During Sleep: When bees sleep, they exhibit physical changes such as relaxing their muscles, causing the upper body and rear-end to droop slightly. The wings may also rest on the body during sleep. These subtle adjustments in posture suggest a physiological shift during their resting periods.
-
Sleep Location Variation: The article notes that where a bee sleeps depends on its species. With over 20,000 known species of bees, their sleeping habits vary. For instance, honey bees, which work day and night, take shifts sleeping inside the hive. Solitary bees, like the teddy bear bee, may sleep by hanging on branches or in nests.
-
Age-Dependent Sleep Patterns: The sleep patterns of bees change with age. Younger bees sleep less than older bees. Foraging bees, which are older and collect pollen, exhibit a more regular sleeping pattern. These older bees take short sleeps or catnaps of 15 to 30 seconds each, accumulating around 30 minutes to an hour and a half of sleep per night.
-
Memory and Sleep: The article introduces the importance of sleep for older honey bees, stating that it aids in memory consolidation. Bees, like humans, require good memory to navigate and remember the locations of pollen and nectar sources. Lack of sleep in bees has been linked to poor dancing abilities, affecting hive efficiency in collecting nectar and pollen.
-
Communication and Dancing: The article touches on the significance of efficient dancing in honey bee communication. Bees communicate through dances to convey information about the location of flowers. If bees are sleep-deprived and exhibit sloppy dancing, hive efficiency diminishes, impacting their ability to collect essential resources.
-
Variety of Bee Lifestyles: The article concludes by mentioning that not all bees live in hives; some are solitary. It introduces the teddy bear bee as an example of a solitary bee that hangs on branches during the night. This highlights the diverse lifestyles and sleep habits among different bee species.
In summary, the article provides insights into the fascinating world of bee sleep, showcasing the diversity of bee species and their unique behaviors related to rest and communication. The information is supported by the expertise of researchers, such as Brandon Hopkins from Washington State University, and draws on observations of bee behavior in various contexts.
