Tropical bees are nearing their thermal limits, useful context for a colleague or friend following climate impacts on pollinators.
Climate change is stinging bees Story flow and key facts
A new study led by Macquarie University’s Pollinator Futures Research Centre reveals how native Australian bees are responding to rising temperatures. From Adelaide to Cape York, researchers collected dozens of species to test their heat tolerance, finding survival chances closely tied to nesting behavior. Bees that nest in plant stems, exposed to full sun, showed higher heat tolerance but remain most vulnerable because they lack shelter during extreme heat. In contrast, ground-nesting bees—about 70% of native species—can retreat underground, giving them a critical advantage despite lower physiological heat resistance. Tropical bees, already living near their thermal limits, face the highest risk as temperatures climb further.
Facts
- Evolutionary physiologist Carmen da Silva studied native bees from Adelaide to Cape York to assess climate adaptability.
- Bees nesting in plant stems have higher heat tolerance but are more vulnerable due to lack of shelter during extreme heat.
- About 70% of native bees nest underground, giving them a thermal refuge during hot days despite lower heat tolerance.
- Tropical bees are at highest risk as they live near their thermal limits, making them less able to withstand further warming.
- Native bees play a key pollination role for crops like macadamias, lychees, and watermelons.
- A study published in Nature Communications confirms heat tolerance can evolve in bees over generations, but not through short-term acclimatization.
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