Page 57 - The Miracle of the Honeybee

Harun Yahya 55

heavens and earth glorifies Him. He is the Almighty, the All-Wise.
(Surat al-Hashr: 24)

Temperature Regulation in the Hive
Some living things use their own body heat in order to regulate the
temperature of the environment in which they live. Those capable of
doing this include warm-blooded creatures like mammals and birds. The
body temperatures of a great many other cold-blooded creatures (lizards,
snakes, tortoises, fish, snails, worms, lobsters, insects, etc.) change accord-
ing to the temperature of their surroundings.
Bearing this in mind, it is striking that the temperature in beehives re-
mains unchanged at 35 degrees centigrade (95 degrees Fahrenheit). 37
Although bees are unable to regulate the temperature in the hive with
their own internal body heat, they regulate the temperature in the hive
with the heat given off by their own movement. One of worker bees’ most
important responsibilities is this stabilization of the hive temperature. No
matter what the temperature in the surroundings (tree trunk, rocky space,
etc.), honeybees always keep the temperature in the hive under strict con-
trol. From the end of spring to autumn, they maintain a temperature of a
o
constant 34.5 to 35.5 degrees centigrade (94-96 F).
Honeybees are strongly affected by temperature changes. Processes
such as the production of wax and honey all take place at a specific tem-
perature. Those most affected by changes in the hive temperature are the
young, and for that reason, great care is taken over the temperature in the
brood cells. Bees engage in various activities in order to stabilize the tem-
perature in the hive regardless of the temperature changes over the course
of the day. In the early morning, for instance, when air temperatures are
coldest, the workers throng together around the combs and warm the
eggs with their own body heat. As the day goes on and air temperatures
start to rise, this mass of bees gradually disperses. If the temperature con-
tinues to rise, the bees start to beat their wings in order to ventilate this re-
gion and lower the temperature. They seek to lower the temperature by

Adnan Oktar