# Will a bee die if locked in a hot car?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-bee-die-if-locked-in-a-hot-car/549034
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [August 3, 2010, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-bee-die-if-locked-in-a-hot-car/549034 "2010-08-03T18:21:33Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-bee-die-if-locked-in-a-hot-car/549034/1 "2010-08-03T18:21:33Z")
Let’s say a bee flew into my car and I panicked and bailed out. It’s summer here in LA, 90+ degrees maybe. The inside of my car’s probably at least 120. I go to work and just leave the car locked with the bee inside.
If I try to drive home in the afternoon after 8 hours, will the bee be dead, or will it try to take revenge?
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### Author:  [@SylverOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SylverOne)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-bee-die-if-locked-in-a-hot-car/549034/2 "2010-08-03T18:22:29Z")
Yes.
I have 3 or 4 dead wasps in my back window at this very moment.
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### Author:  [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-bee-die-if-locked-in-a-hot-car/549034/3 "2010-08-03T18:30:03Z")
Coincidentally the answer is yes if the car is unlocked too.
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### Author:  [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-bee-die-if-locked-in-a-hot-car/549034/4 "2010-08-03T18:34:36Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#):
>
> Let’s say a bee flew into my car and I panicked and bailed out. It’s summer here in LA, 90+ degrees maybe. The inside of my car’s probably at least 120. I go to work and just leave the car locked with the bee inside.
>
> If I try to drive home in the afternoon after 8 hours, will the bee be dead, or will it try to take revenge?
The bee you leave in the car will perish, but her sister drones will take revenge. This is how my second cousin Harold died.
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### Author:  [@GHO57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GHO57)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-bee-die-if-locked-in-a-hot-car/549034/5 "2010-08-03T18:38:07Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#):
>
> Coincidentally the answer is yes if the car is unlocked too.
I wouldn’t put it past one of those vicious little killers to open the door and wait for you to return in hiding. I personally would set the car on fire just to be sure.
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### Author:  [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-bee-die-if-locked-in-a-hot-car/549034/6 "2010-08-03T18:42:32Z")
> [@GHO57](#):
>
> > [@Harmonious\_Discord](#):
> >
> > Coincidentally the answer is yes if the car is unlocked too.
>
> I wouldn’t put it past one of those vicious little killers to open the door and wait for you to return in hiding. I personally would set the car on fire just to be sure.
Total overreaction and likely to cause damage to the surrounding area. It’s better to just flood the car (though that was involved in Harold’s death too).
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### Author:  [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-bee-die-if-locked-in-a-hot-car/549034/7 "2010-08-03T18:53:24Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#):
>
> The bee you leave in the car will perish, but her sister drones will take revenge. This is how my second cousin Harold died.
How many cousin Harolds have you had?
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### Author:  [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-bee-die-if-locked-in-a-hot-car/549034/8 "2010-08-03T19:03:25Z")
If you don’t find his carcass before you depart, every drop of sweat that rolls down your face and neck on the way home is going to feel like the pitter patter of bee feet.
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### Author:  [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-bee-die-if-locked-in-a-hot-car/549034/9 "2010-08-03T19:05:57Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#):
>
> > [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#):
> >
> > The bee you leave in the car will perish, but her sister drones will take revenge. This is how my second cousin Harold died.
>
> How many cousin Harolds have you had?
Just on. The revenge of the bees and the in-car-drowning were a single incident. I would go into detail but you are too young for such horrors.
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### Author:  [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-bee-die-if-locked-in-a-hot-car/549034/10 "2010-08-03T19:13:05Z")
Um, maybe. Asian bees can apparently stand temperatures up to 50.7C. That’s 123F. So it depends on how hot your car really gets. And what kind of creature is inhabiting your car.
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### Author:  [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-bee-die-if-locked-in-a-hot-car/549034/11 "2010-08-03T19:13:14Z")
> [@lieu](#):
>
> If you don’t find his carcass before you depart, every drop of sweat that rolls down your face and neck on the way home is going to feel like the pitter patter of bee feet.
Probably just my immaturity but I like that the word for that sensation - formication - sounds similar to another word…
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### Author:  [@Cagey\_Drifter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cagey_Drifter)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-bee-die-if-locked-in-a-hot-car/549034/12 "2010-08-03T19:15:15Z")
> [@SylverOne](#):
>
> Yes.
>
> I have 3 or 4 dead wasps in my back window at this very moment.
He’s asking about bees.
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### Author:  [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-bee-die-if-locked-in-a-hot-car/549034/13 "2010-08-03T19:23:36Z")
> [@](#):
>
> …every drop of sweat that rolls down your face and neck…
Oh man, you better hope you don’t have [sweat bees](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweat_bee) in that car with you! Yikes!
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### Author:  [@ChrisBooth12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChrisBooth12)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-bee-die-if-locked-in-a-hot-car/549034/14 "2010-08-03T19:24:06Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#):
>
> > [@GHO57](#):
> >
> > I wouldn’t put it past one of those vicious little killers to open the door and wait for you to return in hiding. I personally would set the car on fire just to be sure.
>
> Total overreaction and likely to cause damage to the surrounding area. It’s better to just flood the car (though that was involved in Harold’s death too).
Bad move, the only way to truly be sure the bee is gone is to Nuke it from orbit. It is the only way.
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### Author:  [@GHO57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GHO57)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-bee-die-if-locked-in-a-hot-car/549034/15 "2010-08-03T19:27:39Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#):
>
> > [@CookingWithGas](#):
> >
> > How many cousin Harolds have you had?
>
> Just on. The revenge of the bees and the in-car-drowning were a single incident. I would go into detail but you are too young for such horrors.
That’s what I’m talking about, the bees drowned him, didn’t they?
\*\*Never \*\*trust a bee, always make sure she’s dead.
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### Author:  [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-bee-die-if-locked-in-a-hot-car/549034/16 "2010-08-03T20:00:40Z")
> [@Finagle](#):
>
> Um, maybe. Asian bees can apparently stand temperatures up to 50.7C. That’s 123F. So it depends on how hot your car really gets. And what kind of creature is inhabiting your car.
A car can easily get that hot in August here.
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### Author:  [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-bee-die-if-locked-in-a-hot-car/549034/17 "2010-08-03T21:04:57Z")
> [@GHO57](#):
>
> > [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#):
> >
> > Just on. The revenge of the bees and the in-car-drowning were a single incident. I would go into detail but you are too young for such horrors.
>
> That’s what I’m talking about, the bees drowned him, didn’t they?
No. He got caught in the middle of their terrible conflict with another great invetebrate power. I’ll give y’all the details as soon as I [del]make up the lies[/del] consult the archives.
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### Author:  [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-bee-die-if-locked-in-a-hot-car/549034/18 "2010-08-03T21:23:19Z")
Not to be pedantic, but a bee will die whether the car is hot or not, locked or not.
Everything dies.
Except my love for bacon.
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### Author:  [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-bee-die-if-locked-in-a-hot-car/549034/19 "2010-08-03T21:26:51Z")
Since this is GQ, I’ll supply a GQ answer from personal experience: yes. My mother kept bees and we (I being the fit young man who did the heavy lifting) would transport hives in her car. Invariably there would be some left over on the return trip and their dead bodies would be found later. However, since we’re talking about experiences of over 25 years ago, I cannot recall further.
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### Author:  [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-bee-die-if-locked-in-a-hot-car/549034/20 "2010-08-03T21:44:24Z")
If the bee in question was named Eric, he only had a half-life to live, anyway.
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