Colony adaptive response to simulated heat waves and consequences at the individual level in honeybees (Apis mellifera).

ABSTRACT: Since climate change is expected to bring more severe and frequent extreme weather events such as heat waves, assessing the physiological and behavioural sensitivity of organisms to temperature becomes a priority. We therefore investigated the responses of honeybees, an important insect pollinator, to simulated heat waves (SHW). Honeybees are known to maintain strict brood thermoregulation, but the consequences at the colony and individual levels remain poorly understood. For the first time, we quantified and modelled colony real-time activity and found a 70% increase in foraging activity with SHW, which was likely due to the recruitment of previously inactive bees. Pollen and nectar foraging was not impacted, but an increase in water foragers was observed at the expense of empty bees. Con

SUBMITTER: Bordier C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5476575 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature