Thermoregulation in the large carpenter bee Xylocopa frontalis in the face of climate change in the Neotropics

Abstract

There is evidence that climate change may worsen the ecological conditions needed by many pollinator species for their survival; however, little is known about how the rise in ambient temperature might affect the survival of large bee species in tropical regions of the planet. This study investigated the thermoregulation mechanisms of the large carpenter bee Xylocopa frontalis when nesting spontaneously in nests designed to allow direct measurement of the bees’ temperature while carrying out different activities. It was seen that the species divides its activities throughout the day according to the amount of body heat generated and the ambient temperature, performing activities that generate more body heat at cooler times of the day. The bees also use strategies of thermoregulation, such as heat loss by air convection, evaporative cooling by nectar dehydration, and not foraging during the hottest times of the day to avoid overheating. The study shows that X. frontalis is well adjusted to the ecological conditions of the areas in which it lives but suggests that future rises in the ambient temperature could pose a serious threat to the survival and pollination services provided by this bee and other similar tropical species.