Can #bumblebee queens endure periods of inundation while overwintering underground? New Biology Letters paper from Dr. @SabRondeau suggests that hibernating queens can survive up to 1 week submerged under water: doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2… #OpenAccess #Pollinators @RSocPublishing
@SabRondeau @RSocPublishing @UofG_SES @UofGResearch @NSERC_CRSNG @ArrellFoodInst @WestonFamilyFdn @1in3mouthfuls @JeffOllerton @BumblebeeTrust @DaveGoulson @BehavEcolPapers In the experiment we put #bumblebee (Bombus impatiens) queens in soil-filled tubes & compared the survival of bees either maintained underwater or left to float naturally on the water surface for varying durations (8 h, 24 h or 7 days) while remaining in overwintering conditions
@NigelERaine @SabRondeau @RSocPublishing @UofG_SES @UofGResearch @NSERC_CRSNG @ArrellFoodInst @WestonFamilyFdn @1in3mouthfuls @JeffOllerton @BumblebeeTrust @DaveGoulson @BehavEcolPapers New meaning to California's whole bumblebees are 'fish' thing
@NigelERaine @SabRondeau @RSocPublishing @UofG_SES @UofGResearch @NSERC_CRSNG @ArrellFoodInst @WestonFamilyFdn @1in3mouthfuls @JeffOllerton @BumblebeeTrust @DaveGoulson @BehavEcolPapers I wonder if their nests can endure the abuse of these rolling by… We had ground bees nesting under the sandy soil -walking trails at Hunt Club Forest… These violent machines would have rolled over the patches many times on their violent quest…
@NigelERaine @SabRondeau @RSocPublishing @UofG_SES @UofGResearch @NSERC_CRSNG @ArrellFoodInst @WestonFamilyFdn @1in3mouthfuls @JeffOllerton @BumblebeeTrust @DaveGoulson @BehavEcolPapers I have always wondered what happens to the queens during floods!