Discovered the animal with the strongest 'alcohol capacity' in the world

Researchers have found that the wasp Vespa orientalis can survive for weeks drinking a sugar solution with an ethanol concentration of up to 80% , something never seen in any other animal.

The research results were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on October 21.

'To our knowledge, no other animal species has been shown to be able to tolerate ethanol in such a way under conditions of continuous consumption,' said zoologist Eran Levin of Tel Aviv University.

Vespa orientalis wasp. (Source: AFP).

Flying squirrels are the best-drinking mammals studied to date. They feed on nectar from palm flowers, which naturally contains small amounts of ethanol. This nectar can contain up to 3.8% ethanol.

However, in the lab, when flying squirrels were given 10% ethanol for two weeks, they showed signs of liver failure.

The ability of V. orientalis is a surprise. Adult wasps frequently encounter alcohol in nectar from fermenting plants or fruits.

In the study, groups of wasps were fed ethanol at concentrations eight times higher than would kill flying squirrels.

Surprisingly, these bees lived just as long as the non-drinking bees. They still built their nests neatly and precisely, and did not become more aggressive when the researchers simulated intrusion.

Laboratory physiological tests have shown that wasps actually metabolize ethanol extremely quickly . This rapid detoxification ability may be due to the presence of abundant fermenting yeast in the wasp's gut. This is an ideal environment for yeast to reproduce.

So it could be argued that yeast has helped the wasps become experts in detoxifying wine. The fact that wasps spread the yeast in their guts to grapes could contribute to the mysterious 'terroir' that gives wines from each region their distinctive flavour.

Behavioral ecologist Sofia Bouchebti hopes to continue her research on this fascinating species, particularly to see if ethanol changes the wasps' social interactions or the frequency of larval care. "I'd also love to study the behavior of queens when they drink alcohol ," she concludes.