They must go someplace, so where do they go? Bumblebees Characteristics: You probably know what a bee looks like, but there is a difference between a bumblebee and a honeybee. Bumblebees are bigger and fuzzy with short wings. Bumblebees travel in large colonies of 50 to bees at one time with the queen bee in charge of them all. Where Bumblebees Hibernate: During the fall, all the bees die, leaving just the queen bumblebee to hibernate and get ready to begin her new colony in the spring.
The queen bee will dig into the soil on the side of a north-facing bank to avoid the winter sun. She will then stay there until the spring arrives. During the Hibernation Period: There is no need for the queen to eat while she is in hibernation because she will fill up on pollen during the spring and summer months.
She will be plump enough to go to sleep and stay healthy for the entire period of hibernation. There are several different types of snakes, some are more harmful than others; the garter snake is one of the less dangerous and is often kept as pets. Garter Snake Characteristics: Although these snakes are not harmful to humans, some of them do contain a mild venom. You will see them in different colors and they might have a yellowish or greenish stripe down the front and two more underneath the body.
They are generally 23 to inches in length but have been known to grow to be 5- feet long. You will find them moving around quite quickly during the day and you should be aware they might be in vines or shrubs. Where Garter Snakes Hibernate: Garter snakes like to make their homes in woodlands, grassy areas, and meadows, where they will also make their dens for hibernation during the winter. During the Hibernation Period: The cold-climate garters will hibernate in their dens during the winter months.
They will travel to find just the right den with the perfect number of snakes to curl up with, the more the better. Dens have been found with more than 8, snakes at a time, hovered on top of each other.
Hedgehog Characteristics: These little creatures are cute to look at with their big black eyes and their tiny snout staring at us.
They sport a prickly back and a furry belly. They can grow to be 5 to inches long and weigh an average of 14 to ounces. They grunt like a pig while looking for their dinner that consists of such things as insects, mice, snails, frogs, worms, and snakes. Where Hedgehogs Hibernate: The hedgehogs that hibernate can be found burrowing in small, dry, sheltered areas safely away from their enemies. They like to keep their house under sheds, in old rabbit holes, on or under woodpiles, in compost heaps, and they enjoy living amongst the tree roots.
They will stop moving, their heart rate will drop drastically, and they will even stop breathing for some time. They need to weigh at least grams to live through hibernation and providing they have stored enough body fats, they should be okay. Another hibernating creature that you probably never thought of is the land snail. This one is a little different in its hibernation habits. Land Snail Characteristics: Snails have a slimy body and they live inside a shell. Like turtles, when the snail feels threatened it will go back inside the shell to hide.
They are nocturnal and are not thrilled with the sun or a lot of light. If they are subject to light for a long time they will quit eating and stay in their shell. They measure from 3-centimeters to inches in length and they enjoy a buffet of plants. They will look for places under rocks, in leaves, or in corners of buildings.
They might find a place to dwell together with several of their friends. During the Hibernation Period: Just before the first sight of frost the snail will begin the hibernation process. Once it finds a place to stay, it will go inside its shell and cover itself, including the opening to the shell, with its own slime.
It will stay attached to its winter home for 4 to 6-months. They rely on that fat to keep them alive during their hibernation period. They are completely nocturnal, and they can grow up to weigh 0. They enjoy a meal of nectar from fruit and flowers, and occasionally they will inhale a bug or a small vertebrate. Where Fat-Tailed Lemurs Hibernate: They feel comfort in shelters such as a hollow tree and the company of other friends will please them just fine.
During the Hibernation Period: A fat-tailed dwarf lemur will hibernate for about 6-months and during that time they live off the fat they have stored in their tails from everything they ate in the warmer months. They will survive a long sleep and they experience a lower body temperature and heart rate. You might find them curled up with others because they will huddle up to five at a time without a squabble.
Some types of tortoise hibernate, including those kept as pets. Even though the temperatures inside a house might be warm, it can be very bad for a tortoise that is a hibernating species to be kept awake during the winter season.
Some fish, frogs and turtles, which have no way to keep warm during winter, shelter under logs, rocks and fallen leaves in the water. As the weather gets colder, they move down to the bottom of lakes and ponds and some even burrow into the mud. Some insects, such as bees also hibernate. Hedgehogs have been known to stay asleep during the whole winter, something that even other true hibernators can't accomplish.
Many of the mammals that are considered "light" hibernators still pack on the pounds and fat like their deep-sleeping comrades. The difference is that light sleepers take long naps rather than going into a slumber so deep they cannot be awaken. Bears, raccoons and skunks all take long naps as opposed to going into a true hibernation.
While true hibernators will sometimes wake up to forage for food, light hibernators get up more frequently. Their long naps may be several days, weeks or months long, but their bodies don't go through changes as extreme or long-lasting as the true hibernators. Like true hibernators, these species lower their body temperature, heart rate and breathing rate during the winter while they're sleeping.
An example of waking up for other duties and activities is bears: many give birth to and care for their young during their hibernation period. With a professional background in gardening, landscapes, pests and natural ecosystems, Jasey Kelly has been sharing her knowledge through writing since and has served as an expert writer in these fields.
Kelly's background also includes childcare, and animal rescue and care. During the period of hibernation, like most animals, lemurs go through low body temperature along with a dramatic decrease in their heart rate.
Hibernation Period: 3 — 4 Months. Geckos are another animal that hibernates, but the hibernation places and period for geckos vary based on the places they live. In locations with mild winter, geckos hibernate inside a rotting log or flat rocks. Whereas in very cold locations, geckos opt for crevices, caves and other animal burrows.
Most of the gecko species try to store sufficient fat reserves in their tails through the months leading up to winter. During the winter period, they use this energy while maintaining a deep slumber. Aerobic geckos hibernate in partially hollow trees, so they can settle well and stay insulated, even during harsh winters, with restful sleep.
If the temperature over winter is milder, then aerobic geckos may settle under the bark crevices of trees until the return of the spring months. Hibernation Period: 7 — 9 months. Therefore, ground squirrels tend to choose underground homes for their hibernation as the thermal properties of the ground beneath the frost layer offer a higher temperature range.
When ground squirrels hibernate their body temperature and heart rate reduces — along with a drastic reduction in their rate of metabolism. However, ground squirrels often enter into a lighter form of hibernation known more as a torpor, where they may wake up and sneak out to forage during warmer days. One special thing about ground squirrels and their hibernation is the underground homes we mentioned earlier. These underground winter spaces are very perfectly structured, with strategically hollowed-out tunnels.
Ground squirrels design and maintain an elaborate network of rooms for food storage, sleep and even to urinate …just like bathrooms. On average, ground squirrels hibernate for up to nine months. But these animals may also hibernate for a short period like few days at a time during other times of the year.
Hibernation Period: 3 — 6 months. Groundhogs are one of those animals well-known for hibernation because they are well-renowned for their ability to predict the weather. Groundhogs are known as true hibernators because their body temperature drops drastically and they get into a completely dormant state.
True hibernators are categorized as animals that can reduce their body temperature below 20 degrees Celsius. True hibernators are also categorized as animals that can drop their heart rate to 5 beats per minute. The heart rate of groundhogs can reduce from 80 to 10 per minute — or even 5 beats per minute.
Groundhogs hibernate in burrows. These burrows are built-in wooded or bushy areas, which are dug below the frost line and can remain at a stable temperature during winter. Groundhogs hibernate from October to March or April. However, in more temperate locations, groundhogs will hibernate only for little as three months.
A groundhog waking up from their hibernation is also celebrated in some parts of the U. Groundhogs wake up for spring and will start reproduction right away.
Hibernation Period: 6 weeks to 6 months. Hedgehogs hibernate from six weeks to around six months, depending on the temperature of the location. As a way of preparing, hedgehogs try to increase up to the weight necessary to survive winter, so hedgehogs try to put on at least grams, which can help store enough fat and energy to get through winter.
Hedgehogs dig into burrows around small and dry areas away from predators. Some also prefer spending winter in old sheds, old rabbit holes, under woodpiles, compost heaps and even deep trees roots.
All in all, hedgehogs prefer staying warm… like most animals. During hibernation, the heart rate of hedgehogs drops by almost 90 percent. When they realize their body temperature is dropping too low they briefly wake up. Waking up increases their heart rate to warm their bodies before going back to hibernation again. Hedgehogs can also get into a state called estivation when the weather is too cold. Estivation is a type of hibernation that animals go into during extremely hot weather, instead of winter or extremely cold weather — this is akin to passing out on a scorching hot day.
Hibernation Period: Variable. Hummingbirds are one of those animals that can enter into a light hibernation or rather into a state of torpor at variable times during winter. A state of torpor helps hummingbirds to lower their metabolism, which helps in conserving energy. So to get through this extreme cold, hummingbirds will forcefully allow their heart rate and metabolism to slow down.
This helps hummingbirds to burn less energy. When spring approaches these birds will increase their metabolism and get back to their busy lives. Hibernation Period: months. When winter sets in, most of us have probably witnessed the occasional sight of hundreds …sometimes thousands of ladybugs gathered together.
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