Bees and Heat Tolerance After Stress
Author Information
Author(s): Victor H. Gonzalez, Wesley Rancher, Rylee Vigil, Isabella Garino-Heisey, Kennan Oyen, Thomas Tscheulin, Theodora Petanidou, John M. Hranitz, John F. Barthell
Primary Institution: University of Kansas
Hypothesis
Bees exposed to acute sublethal desiccation stress and short-term starvation will display lower heat tolerance than those not exposed to these stressors.
Conclusion
Sublethal desiccation exposure and short-term starvation do not significantly affect heat tolerance in honey bees and sweat bees.
Supporting Evidence
- Neither the critical thermal maximum nor the time to heat stupor was significantly impacted by sublethal desiccation exposure.
- Starvation followed by moderate sublethal desiccation did not affect the average CTmax estimate but increased its variance.
- Honey bees were more vulnerable to desiccation than sweat bees despite their larger body size.
Takeaway
Bees can handle being a little dry and not eating for a short time without getting too hot, which is good news for them in hot weather.
Methodology
The study used dynamic and static protocols to assess the heat tolerance of honey bees and sweat bees after exposure to desiccation and starvation.
Potential Biases
Potential confounding effects from hypoxia during desiccation exposure.
Limitations
The study did not measure body mass or parasite load, and the effects on solitary species remain unassessed.
Participant Demographics
The study focused on two bee species: Apis mellifera (honey bee) and Lasioglossum malachurum (sweat bee).
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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