Big bees fly better in hotter temps than smaller ones do
Sunday, October 28, 2018 - 12:40
in Biology & Nature
Arizona State University researchers have found that larger tropical stingless bee species fly better in hot conditions than smaller bees do. Larger size may help certain bee species better tolerate high body temperatures. The findings run contrary to the well-established temperature-size "rule," which suggests that ectotherms—insects that rely on the external environment to control their temperature—are larger in cold climates and smaller in hot ones. The research will be presented today at the American Physiological Society's (APS) Comparative Physiology: Complexity and Integration conference in New Orleans.