Lasting impacts of sublethal prepupal heatwaves on fertility-related traits of the solitary bee Osmia bicornis
Abstract
Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of heatwaves, which can have severe consequences for insect physiology, development, and reproduction. Solitary bees, key ecosystem pollinators with commercial value, may be particularly vulnerable due to their lack of social thermoregulation and limited ability to buffer nest temperatures. Despite growing awareness of temperature effects on insect reproduction, less is known about how sublethal heatwaves during development impact adult solitary bee reproductive traits. We investigated the effects of a field-realistic 3-day fluctuating heatwave regime (
Fields of Study & Subjects
Insect and Pesticide Research
Plant and animal studies
Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Journal of Thermal Biology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Volume
- 139
- Pages
- 104491–104491
- Publication date
- 15 May 2026
- Language
- EN