Mechanisms help thermoregulation: bumblebees
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The body of bumblebees maintains a regular temperature via counter-current heat exchange and a heat-shunting mechanism.
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"2. However, the counter-current heat exchanger can be physiologically circumvented. Exogenously heated bumblebees prevented overheating of the thorax by shunting heat into the abdomen. They also regurgitated fluid, which helped to reduce head temperature but had little effect on thoracic temperature.
"3. Temperature increases in the ventrum of the abdomen occurred in steps exactly coinciding with the beats of the ventral diaphragm, and with the abdominal 'ventilatory' pumping movements when these were present. The ability to prevent overheating of the thorax by transport of heat to the abdomen was abolished when the heart was made inoperative.
"4. At low thoracic temperatures the ventral diaphragm beat at a wide range of rates and with varying interbeat intervals, while the heart beat at a high frequency relative to the ventral diaphragm, but at a very low amplitude. However, when thoracic temperature exceeded 43 °C the amplitudes of both were high, and the interbeat intervals as well as the beating frequencies of the two pulsatile organs became identical in any one bee. Furthermore, heated bees engaged in vigorous abdominal pumping at the same frequency as that of their heart and ventral diaphragm pulsations.
"5. The results indicate that the anatomical counter-current heat exchanger is reduced or eliminated during heat stress by 'chopping' the blood flow into pulses, and the blood pulses are shunted through the petiole alternately by way of a switch mechanism." (Heinrich 1976:561)
Bombus fervidus (Fabricius, 1798)
[Bumblebee]
IUCN Red List Status: Unknown
Some organism data provided by: ITIS: The Integrated Taxonomic Information System
Organism/taxonomy data provided by:
Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2008 Annual Checklist
Application Ideas: Variable heat exchange system design, utilizing external fluid as heat sink, hydrogen cars emit water vapor- condense and use as heat sink for cooling car. Buildings condense water with thermal mass or active cooling systems, and use externally to cool.
Industrial Sector(s) interested in this strategy: Energy, building, automotive
CloudSolar - Solar Heating
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