Scientists Accidentally Discovered an Unexpected Ability of Bumblebees 0 8

The discovery was accidental: ecologist Sabrina Rondo noticed that condensation from a refrigerator had dripped into a container where four bumblebee queens were located. The insects remained alive.

It is noted that the queens were in a state of diapause — a kind of hibernation characteristic of the winter period. It was previously believed that during snowmelt and heavy rains, bumblebees could die from flooding; however, scientists now suggest that they are capable of surviving immersion in water for up to a week.

To test this, researchers recreated winter conditions: they induced diapause in the bumblebee queens for four to five months, after which they submerged them in water for eight days. During the experiment, scientists monitored the metabolism of the insects and their physiological changes.

It turned out that the queens continue gas exchange and breathe, maintaining a low metabolic rate. According to the scientists, bumblebees do not use just one strategy: underwater gas exchange is combined with anaerobic metabolism, which helps them survive in extreme conditions.

Experts suggest that bumblebees can breathe underwater thanks to a thin layer of air around their bodies, which is known to be used by other insects for exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide with the environment.