What is one potential risk of bees not having enough honey stores for winter?

When bees do not have sufficient honey stores to sustain them through the winter, the most significant risk is the potential for hive abandonment or colony death. Honey serves as the primary food source for bees during the cold months when foraging is not possible due to the lack of flowers and foraging opportunities. If a colony does not have enough stored honey, the bees may not have adequate nourishment to survive the extended period of inactivity and cold temperatures.

In extreme cases, this can lead to starvation, where the colony cannot sustain its members, resulting in the death of the bees. If starvation occurs, it often leads the colony to abandon the hive as the remaining bees may not be able to gather enough resources. This situation can ultimately result in the complete collapse of the colony, as they rely on their stored food reserves to maintain hive activity and support the queen and brood during winter months. Thus, the lack of sufficient honey stores directly threatens the survival and continuity of the bee colony through winter.