In Winter, bees generate warmth by 'burning' the honey they have stored, i.e., by digesting it and using the resulting energy to flex their flight muscles, which give off heat. Also, they form a tight cluster to keep the heat within; they do not heatthe hive, only their cluster.For many beekeepers it is standard practice to put a thick layer of something atop the hive, on the inside, to 'absorb the moisture' that is produced by the bees' respiration during the winter. The purpose of this absorbent layer is to prevent water condensing on the ceiling of the hive, dripping down and wetting the bees, cooling them, and destroying the colony by freezing it.The water comes from the 'combustion' of the honey; the products of combustion being carbon dioxide (CO_2) and water (H_2O). The water is exhaled as vapor and condenses on the cold walls and ceiling of the hive.
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