In spring, summer, and fall the prairie is alive with insect activity. Bees hum, mosquitoes buzz, butterflies and moths flit from flower to flower, crickets sing. In cold weather most common insects cannot function. So, as winter nears, some insects look for shelter in the prairie soil.
Some insects build their own houses, and some search for places to lay their eggs.
The honey bee queen and worker bees pile up into a ball in the center of the hive. The bees in the center are warm. The bees on the outside get cold, so they push their way into the middle of the ball. Those who were in the middle are pushed toward the outside of the ball. Therefore, the ball of bees keeps moving a little all the time.