Honeybees do not naturally insulate their colonies against the cold, according to new research by the University of Leeds.

The results of the study carried out by Derek Mitchell, a PhD student at the University of Leeds’ School of Mechanical Engineering, suggest that the creatures are potentially being subjected to thermally induced stress which may mean that beekeepers have to change their practices.

Challenging Traditional Beekeeping Theories

He is calling for further debate on the ethical treatment of insects, saying his research appears to contradict the widely accepted theory that the bees’ reaction to cold temperatures is to form layers of insulation – an idea that has led to them being housed in hives that are extremely poorly insulated compared to their natural habitat.

The study, which is published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface, looks at honeybee “clusters” — where the insects huddle together, forming dense disks between the combs, to try to keep some of them above 18°C when the outside temperature drops. For almost 120 years, the outer layer of honeybees in the winter cluster – known as the mantle — has been said to insulate the cluster core – the honeybees at the center… Read full article on SciTechDaily.com >