Heat is killing Earth's important pollinators

Bumblebees, one of Earth's most important pollinators, are declining globally due to heat .

According to the Guardian newspaper , bumblebee colonies are known for their ability to thermoregulate. When it's hot, worker bees gather together and flap their wings to create wind to cool the nest.

A bumblebee is collecting pollen from a flower near Pattensen, northern Germany - (Photo: AFP).

But the climate crisis has pushed up average temperatures and caused heatwaves that have affected bumblebee colonies.

The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Bee Science , concluded that most bumble bee babies would not be able to survive temperatures above 36 degrees Celsius.

The research team reviewed 180 years of literature and found that all bumblebee species studied had an optimal incubation temperature between 28 and 32 degrees Celsius. If the bees cannot keep the nest temperature below At 35 degrees Celsius, young bees can die.

"This explains why we are losing so many bumblebees around the world, especially in North America and Europe ," said Peter Kevan, lead author of the study and a professor in the School of Environmental Sciences. of the University of Guelph (Canada), said.

Mr. Dave Goulson, a biology professor at the University of Sussex (UK) who has studied bumblebees for 30 years and is not involved in the research, said most insect species are abundant in the tropics, but bees Turmeric lives in places like the Alps, England and even the Arctic. This clearly shows that climate change, especially global warming, easily affects them.

According to him, concern for bumblebee populations has doubled because of current rising temperatures.

Bumblebees are important pollinators of wild flowers and crops, including tomatoes, beans, apples, blueberries, blackcurrants and raspberries. To prevent population decline in bumblebees, scientists say it is necessary to increase habitat, reduce pesticides and ensure temperatures do not exceed the 2 degree Celsius warming limit.