Bees are interesting creatures that are known for their ability to fly during the day. However can bees fly at night?
Yes, bees are able to fly at night because they have special eyes that can see in the dark. These eyes are called compound eyes, and they are very good at collecting light. This means that even when it is dark, bees can still see what is around them.
Viral Video Showing Bees Dropping When Lights Are Turned Off
There has been a viral video online showing bees flying and the dropping to the ground when the lights are turned off.
Because bees are able to fly at night although the bumble bee and the honey bee are not active at night our conclusion from watching the video is that the bees are actually in a vacuum chamber used to increase and decrease air pressure. They turned on the vacuum when they flicked the lights off causing the bees to drop. They then turned off the vacuum allowing for normal air pressure while flicking the lights and that is why you see the bees being able to fly again.
Why Falling Is Dangerous To The Bees
Insects and bees being insects don’t just drop to the ground when lights are turned off. Try doing this when a moth or any other insect enters your house and you will see that they will often land somewhere. Insects will look for somewhere to land, a wall or even your house ceiling when the lights are turned off because simply dropping to the ground is actually dangerous.
Why Bees Don’t Fly At Night
So, if bees can fly at night, why don’t they do it all the time? Well, there are a few reasons. First of all, flying at night is more dangerous than flying during the day. There are more predators that are active at night, and it can be harder to see where you are going.
Bees also prefer to fly during the day because that is when they can find more flowers to collect pollen.
Type Of Bees That Fly At Night
There are some types of bees that are more active at night than others. For example, the sweat bee is a type of bee that is often seen flying at night. These bees are attracted to the sweat on our skin, and they will often land on us to try to get it.
Although sweat bees feed primarily on pollen and nectar from flowers they are attracted to human sweat as well because of the salts in sweat.
Other bees that fly at night is the Indian Carpenter Bee, European Honey Bee, and Male Bumble Bees. Male Bumblebees don’t gather pollen but they do fly at night to mate with the queen.
Do All Bees Fly At Night?
No, not all bees fly at night. There are some bees that are active during the day, and there are some bees that are active at night.
The bees that have adapted to flying at night have also evolved slightly different eyesight so that they can see in the dark.
Foraging in the dark has it advantages in that there is less competition from other insects like butterflies and flies and also the bees can avoid predators.
One of the reasons that some bees don’t fly at night is because they are not attracted to the types of flowers that bloom at night. These bees rely on the flowers for their food, and they would not be able to find those flowers that they need to collect nectar.
Flowers Close Their Petals At Night
Most flowers close their petals at night to protect the pollen and other reproductive parts from the cold and rain. This makes it difficult for bees to access the nectar and pollen that they need.
Some flowers, however, stay open at night. These flowers are called “night-blooming” flowers, and they are often very fragrant. These flowers attract bees that are active at night, and they are an important food source for these bees.
Do All Insects Fly At Night?
No, not all insects fly at night. In fact, most insects are active during the day. There are a few insects that are active at night, but they are not as common as the insects that fly during the day.
Some of the insects that are active at night include moths, beetles, and earwigs. These insects are attracted to light, and they will often fly towards lights that are on at night.
There are also some insects that are active at night because they are attracted to the sweat on our skin and carbon dioxide from breathing mammals. These insects include mosquitoes.
Conclusion
Bees can fly at night, but not all bees do it. The bees that are active at night have adapted to be able to see in the dark, and they often fly to flowers that stay open at night.
So, next time you see a bee flying around at night, you can be sure that it is not lost!