Science updates: Water collection & water storage in honey bee colonies

 

Science updates:

Water collection & water storage in honey bee colonies

 

The authors explore how water collectors are activated, suggesting that they respond to increased begging for fluid or personal thirst. The study also demonstrates that water collectors can adapt their behavior to not only meet the colony's immediate water needs but also to store water in their crops and combs, providing a buffer against future water stress.

 

Experiments conducted in a controlled greenhouse environment with observation hives showed that colonies deprived of water during broodnest hyperthermia experienced a rise in broodnest temperature, indicating the critical role of water in nest thermoregulation. The study also found that the number of water collectors and the rate of water collection increased gradually after the onset of heat stress, suggesting that colonies have a reserve of cooling fluids.

 

The research highlights the importance of water collection for honey bee colonies to regulate broodnest temperature and demonstrates that colonies can store water both in the crops of bees and in comb cells, especially under conditions of heat stress and water deprivation. The study contributes to the understanding of the social physiology of honey bee colonies and their ability to manage water resources in response to environmental challenges.

 

Reference:

Ostwald, M. M., Smith, M. L., & Seeley, T. D. (2016). The behavioral regulation of thirst, water collection and water storage in honey bee colonies. Journal of Experimental Biology, 219(14), 2156-2165.

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