Handling heatwaves: balancing thermoregulation, foraging and bumblebee colony success.

ABSTRACT: Climate changes pose risks for bumblebee populations, which have declined relative to the growing frequency and severity of warmer temperature extremes. Bumblebees might mitigate the effects of such extreme weather through colonial behaviours. In particular, fanning behaviour to dissipate heat is an important mechanism that could reduce exposure of thermally sensitive offspring to detrimental nest temperatures (T_n). The allocation of workers towards fanning over prolonged periods could impact foraging activity that is essential for colony-sustaining resource gathering. Colony maintenance and growth could suffer as a result of nutritional and high ambient temperature (T_a) thermal stress. It remains uncertain whether a compromise occurs between thermoregulation and fora

SUBMITTER: Bretzlaff T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10853005 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature