Nap time

Bees must be warm in order to fly efficiently; however, they are cold-blooded animals.  They can warm themselves by rapidly vibrating their flight muscles -- but this takes up a lot of energy.  What else can a bee do when it gets caught out in bad weather?  Like the bee pictured below, it can rest in a flower until it warms up again.

 

 

A bee resting in a hollyhock flower on a chilly morning.

Flowers are ideal spots for a nap on a chilly morning (as long as there isn't a predator lying in ambush).  Not only do flowers provide food and shelter, they can also be significantly warmer than the ambient air temperature.  Some flowers in cold climates even use heat as a reward for their pollinators.

Explore some more: Warm flowers, happy pollinators