Recent research has revealed a surprising ability in the common eastern bumblebee (Bombus impatiens): its queens can survive for over a week submerged in water. This discovery, initially made by accident during laboratory experiments, is prompting further investigation into the physiological mechanisms that allow for this resilience.
The Accidental Finding
Researchers studying bumblebee queen hibernation inadvertently flooded containers holding the queens during experiments simulating winter conditions. The queens’ survival for over a week underwater led scientists to investigate how they were able to endure such conditions.
Metabolic Slowdown is Key
The key to this survival lies in a state called diapause, a period of dormancy similar to hibernation. During diapause, the bumblebee queen’s metabolism slows dramatically, reducing by over 95%. This minimizes oxygen consumption, and combined with a limited ability to extract oxygen from the surrounding water, allows the queens to sustain themselves for significant periods.
This process isn’t typical breathing, but rather a combination of drastically reduced needs and limited oxygen absorption from the water, alongside anaerobic metabolism – energy production without oxygen, though this is a temporary solution.
How Do They Survive Underwater?
Scientists hypothesize that a thin layer of air surrounding the queen’s body may act as a “physical gill,” facilitating gas exchange with the water. Experiments using respirometers confirmed the queens were actively metabolizing, albeit at a very low rate, even even as submerged, by showing a decrease in oxygen levels and detecting carbon dioxide production.
Implications for Pollination and Conservation
Bombus impatiens is commercially used as a pollinator in greenhouses and agricultural settings. Understanding their ability to withstand flooding could inform best practices for managing these bees and mitigating risks associated with accidental submersion.
This resilience may play a role in their ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions, but it’s crucial to remember that this ability is a survival mechanism, not a long-term solution to habitat loss or other environmental stressors.
Future Research
Scientists are now focusing on identifying the specific physiological adaptations that enable underwater survival, determining the limits of this ability – including how long queens can survive and at what temperatures – and investigating whether this resilience is consistent across different bumblebee species.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can all bees survive underwater?
No, this ability has been specifically observed in the queen of the common eastern bumblebee (Bombus impatiens) during diapause.
What is diapause?
Diapause is a state of dormancy similar to hibernation, where an insect’s metabolic rate slows dramatically.
Does this mean bumblebees are adapted to live underwater?
No. This is a survival mechanism to endure temporary flooding, not an adaptation for aquatic life.
Given this newfound understanding of bumblebee resilience, what further steps might be taken to protect these vital pollinators from the increasing pressures of a changing climate?
