A surprising and effective protection strategy

1996/03/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Biologia

Only a temperature of 47º. That's what the Japanese bee Apis cerana japonica needs to conquer her enemy. However, obtaining this temperature by a single bee is not easy, so these intelligent animals work together.

As can be seen in the photo attached, welcome to the wasp that approaches the hive, since it is known that the wasp Vespa mandarinia japonica will not visit if the bee does not prepare to exhaust and take over the hive. Bees therefore receive an order of self-organization. The formation of a group of bees produces a protection temperature of 47º, so they are willing to face the wasp.

The wasp caught in the midst of this hot “hug” is not able to withstand the “hospitality” of bees and in ten minutes bees can celebrate the victory. Thus exposed, you can think that this strategy is very effective to scare away visitors, but you have to do it very carefully. In fact, the bee itself can hardly withstand more than 49º of temperature, so it must be attacked with a good measurement of forces. The reader may think that the two-degree difference is fragile, but Japanese bees have confirmed that this is the survival force.