Overview
- University of Ottawa scientists report in Proceedings of the Royal Society B that diapausing Bombus impatiens queens survived up to eight days fully submerged in controlled lab experiments.
- Sensors recorded falling oxygen and slight carbon dioxide release in the water, consistent with underwater gas exchange during submersion.
- Biochemical assays showed lactate buildup, indicating queens supplement limited oxygen uptake with anaerobic metabolism while in profound metabolic depression.
- After removal from water, queens displayed a multi‑day spike in metabolic rate as they cleared lactate, then returned to typical diapause levels within about a week.
- The exact oxygen‑uptake mechanism remains unconfirmed, with a physical‑gill air layer proposed, and researchers plan to test duration, frequency, and energetic costs to gauge resilience to heavier spring flooding.