The decline of the bumblebees is highly concerning as they are vital for ecosystems. They pollinate flowers and crops. If populations were to continue to decline, crops would not be able to produce fruits and vegetables. Despite being small, they are crucial to nature’s delicate balance.

And now, a new Frontiers in Bee Science study has found that the rising heat caused by global warming might be a reason for the decrease in numbers across the globe.

“The decline in populations and ranges of several species of bumblebees may be explained by issues of overheating of the nests and the brood,” Peter Kevan of the University of Guelph in Canada and lead author of the study said in a statement. “The constraints on the survival of the bumblebee brood indicate that heat is likely a major factor, with heating of the nest above about 35 degrees Celsius being lethal, despite the remarkable capacity of bumblebees to thermoregulate.”

“Excessively high temperatures are more harmful to most animals and plants than cool temperatures. When conditions are cool, organisms that do not metabolically regulate their body temperatures simply slow down, but when temperatures get too high metabolic processes start to break down and cease,” Kevan said. “Death ensues quickly.”

This is an excerpt. Read the original post here