Honey bees are one of only a few kinds of insects that survive the winter as a colony.
As the outside air temperature decreases the winter cluster becomes tighter and more compact.
In extended cold weather periods, the incidence of Nosema disease increases and the cluster may weaken as many bees begin dying off.
[citation needed] In the temperate zones, winter temperatures dip below 12 °C (54 °F) for extended periods.
In early spring, brood rearing resumes inside the winter cluster when the queen starts to lay eggs again.