Inside the Winter Cluster (2D)

Winter Conditions

Outside temp -8°C

Colony size 70%

Varroa load 15%

Sim speed 1.5 d/s

Force isolation (can't shift frames)

Live Readout

Day

Population

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Core temp

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Reachable honey

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Total honey left

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FPS

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Status

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How it works

A honeybee winter cluster contracts against the cold, burns honey to generate heat, and creeps sideways across frames as local stores run out. This 2D view runs the same model as the 3D cutaway hive:

Contraction — colder outside temperature packs the cluster tighter, cutting its exposed surface area.
Core temperature — relaxes toward a target set by insulation (colony size, varroa) and local fuel availability.
Honey burn — consumption per bee rises with cold and varroa load; only honey on the cluster's current frame is reachable.
Frame migration — once the local frame thins out, the cluster shifts to the richest neighbouring frame, but only above a critical outside temperature (below that, breaking cluster risks the outer bees chilling to death).
Isolation starvation — force isolation (or too much cold) locks the cluster in place; it can die of starvation with honey sitting untouched nearby.

Full honey frame Empty frame Cluster core heat