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Member Symposium

Plant-Insect Ecosystems

Physiology, Biochemistry, and Toxicology

Poster Display

Ecophysiology of Social Insects

Thermal tolerance in the cellophane bee Colletes inaequalis reflects early spring adaptation and is independent of body size and sex

Wednesday, November 12, 2025
10:50 AM - 11:20 AM Pacific
Location: Oregon Convention Center, Portland Ballroom 251, OCC
Poster Display
Colletes inaequalis is a univoltine, ground-nesting solitary bee and one of the first pollinators to emerge in the North American spring. Males emerge earlier and are smaller than females. We assessed its critical thermal limits (CTMin, CTMax) and chill coma recovery time, testing for effects of sex and body size (fresh mass, intertegular distance, ITD). We also compared these traits with those of the honey bee (Apis mellifera), a similar-sized species active in early spring. To simulate harsh spring conditions, we tested the impact of food deprivation and repeated cold exposure on male chill coma recovery. We found no sex-based differences in CTMin or CTMax, and neither trait was influenced by ITD. Body mass did not affect chill coma recovery time. C. inaequalis was significantly more cold-tolerant but less heat-tolerant than A. mellifera, and recovered more quickly from chill coma. Repeated cold exposure slowed recovery, while food availability strongly influenced male survival. These results suggest that C. inaequalis is physiologically adapted to early spring conditions, unlike A. mellifera, which likely relies on social thermoregulation. Our findings highlight how bee thermal traits may align with seasonal activity patterns.