Work

Fueling thermogenesis: an individual-level thermography assay reveals that sucrose ingestion promotes thermogenesis in honeybees

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Western honeybees (Apis mellifera) are remarkable among insects for their ability to generate heat endogenously and maintain a stable hive microclimate. This process relies on the activity of the indirect flight muscles, but the direct relationship between thermogenesis and carbohydrate availability has not been systematically investigated. To investigate this relationship, we developed a controlled individual-level thermography assay that provides a standardized framework for studying honeybee thermogenesis at the individual level. Starved bees showed little or no thermogenesis, whereas sucrose-fed bees exhibited substantially increased thoracic temperatures and thermogenic activity, consistent with a threshold-like activation of thermogenesis. Additionally, thermogenic performance was significantly lower in bees fed a sucralose solution used as a putatively non-nutritive control than in bees that received the same volume of sucrose solution. Together, these findings support the hypothesis that thermogenesis depends on the availability of recently ingested carbohydrates.

Source: Journal of Experimental Biology

DOI: 10.1242/jeb.252296

Authors: Saskia Delac, Christine von Koschitzky, Markus Thamm

Institution: University of Würzburg

Language: English

Topic: Physiological and biochemical adaptations

Subfield: Ecology

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Funder: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

Award: G5574675703