What do bees typically do in the fall?

In the fall, bees typically engage in preparations for winter, which is crucial for their survival as temperatures begin to drop and floral resources become scarce. This preparation includes several key behaviors: the colony reduces its population to conserve resources, and the worker bees focus on maintaining the queen and ensuring she is healthy for the next season. The bees also cluster together to keep warm, creating a centralized heat source around the queen. This clustering behavior indicates their transition into a state of reduced activity where they will remain until spring.

While expanding their population and initiating reproduction are important aspects of a bee colony's life cycle, these activities primarily occur in spring and summer when resources are abundant. Collecting nectar is likewise an activity tied to the warmer months when flowers bloom, providing the necessary sustenance for the hive. In fall, the priority clearly shifts to preparing for the colder months ahead, which is why the correct answer addresses their winter preparedness.