Nest clues reveal which Australian bees can weather hotter futures
A four‑month field study of about 95 Australian native bee species finds heat tolerance is tied to nesting type: stem nesters are the most heat tolerant, cavity nesters next, and ground-nesters least. Ironically, the most heat‑tolerant bees are also the most vulnerable to future warming because they can’t escape extreme temperatures; when researchers used the actual nest microclimates, vulnerability rankings flipped to show stem-nesters at greatest risk, especially tropical, above‑ground nesters. The study suggests heat tolerance can evolve but likely slowly, and underscores the need to protect cooler habitats and curb greenhouse gas emissions to safeguard pollination and biodiversity in a warming world.
