research
Heat stress during pupation causes lasting damage in bumblebees
Communications Biology
In a controlled laboratory study, researchers exposed Bombus terrestris pupae to daily temperature cycles. The treatment alternating between 34°C and 38°C reduced adult emergence by 30% compared with a constant 34°C control. Adults that survived this treatment had twice the mortality hazard, with shorter survival in both workers and males. Wing and antennal deformities were also associated with earlier adult death.
Why it matters
The effects of heat during development can persist after a bee reaches adulthood. The findings highlight pupation as a vulnerable stage and suggest that assessments based only on immediate survival may miss lasting costs. This laboratory experiment simplified real heatwaves and did not measure population losses in the wild.
Explore the sources
This is a Plan Bees summary of work published by Communications Biology. Follow the original source for the full findings and methods.
From the September 29, 2026 digest.