"This study started from a discussion with my co-author and postdoctoral researcher, Sabrina Rondeau, whose recent findings showed that these queens can survive submersion for over a week, which is extraordinary for a terrestrial insect. We wanted to understand how that's even possible."
"The remarkable discovery came about by chance, as ecologist Sabrina Rondeau noticed a frosty refrigerator dripped condensation into containers holding four queen bees. She was amazed to find they were still alive. The bumblebee queens were in diapause, which is a hibernation-like state over winter."
Researchers discovered that bumblebee queens possess an extraordinary ability to survive submersion underwater for extended periods. The finding emerged accidentally when ecologist Sabrina Rondeau noticed condensation from a refrigerator had submerged queen bees in containers, yet they remained alive. The queens were in diapause, a hibernation-like winter state. Scientists had previously assumed bumblebees would drown when snow melted and heavy rains flooded their underground habitats. Professor Charles-Antoine Darveau from the University of Ottawa led efforts to understand this remarkable survival mechanism. Researchers recreated winter conditions in laboratory settings to study how terrestrial insects could endure such prolonged submersion.
Read at www.independent.co.uk
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