What happens to worker bees as summer comes to an end?

As summer comes to an end, worker bees begin to die off primarily due to physiological changes in the hive and the queen's reduced egg production. During the late summer and into fall, the queen's egg-laying slows significantly as the colony prepares for winter. This decrease in new bees means that the older worker bees, who typically have a lifespan of about six weeks during the active season, will not be replaced as they die. Without the influx of new workers to maintain the colony's activities, such as foraging and hive maintenance, the population begins to decline, leading to eventual dwindling numbers in the hive as winter approaches.

This natural cycle is part of how bee colonies prepare for the colder months. The focus shifts from raising new bees to conserving resources and maintaining the existing population that can survive through winter. The other choices do not accurately reflect bee behavior at this time: worker bees do not hibernate; they generally reduce gathering food as they prepare for winter; and while swarming does occur, it happens primarily in the spring and summer, not as the season changes to autumn. Thus, the scenario accurately describes the life cycle and behavior shift in worker bees as they approach the end of the summer season.