Summer heat forces bumble bees to fan nests instead of gather food
Mullan FR, Green NS, Youngsteadt E, McCluney KE, Penick CA
Pollinators
The bumble bees visiting your garden flowers may be one season away from colony collapse if they're nesting in an old bird box or brush pile above ground, where extreme summer heat forces them to fan instead of pollinate.
Researchers found that warmer weather from climate change is a mixed bag for bumble bees. More warmth means more hours of good foraging weather and less energy spent keeping the nest warm in spring, which sounds positive. But brutal summer heat forces above-ground colonies to dedicate huge numbers of workers to fanning the nest cool, leaving fewer bees to gather the food the colony needs to survive.
Key Findings
Warming climate is projected to increase optimal foraging hours for bumble bees and reduce the energy they spend on brood incubation, offering a short-term benefit.
Extreme summer temperatures dramatically increase fanning (cooling) demands, especially in above-ground nests, diverting workers from foraging and other colony tasks.
Above-ground-nesting bumble bee species are significantly more vulnerable to climate warming than below-ground nesters, due to escalating thermoregulatory costs that can lead to colony failure.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Bumble bees nesting above ground face a serious threat from rising temperatures: as summers get hotter, these colonies must spend so much energy cooling their nests that fewer workers are free to forage, potentially causing colonies to fail.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Nesting biology shapes climate vulnerability of social bees (Bombus spp.).
Climate warming is a major driver of global pollinator declines, including social bees that live in large colonies and provide critical pollination services. Nesting biology plays a key role in det...
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
Was this useful?
Want to tell us more? (optional)
Thanks for the note!
Something went wrong — please try again.
Too many submissions. Try again in an hour.
Urban Tree Canopy Reduces Heat-Related Mortality by 39% in European Cities
Trees in your local park or street aren't just pretty — they are literally keeping people alive during heatwaves, and planting even a modest number of the ri...
Climate adaptation in plants refers to the physiological and evolutionary mechanisms through which plants adjust to changing environmental conditions, including temperature shifts, altered precipitation patterns, and seasonal variations. Understanding these processes is essential for plant science
arrow_forward Explore topic