From Science Magazine.

Bumble bees may look clumsy and goofy hovering above a flower, but don’t be deceived: They’re among the hot rods of the insect world and able to fly 22 kilometers per hour.

Even while hovering, their powerful wing muscles generate a lot of heat. Like any high-performance vehicle, the bees have ways to keep their motors cool—and a new study shows just how effective one of these methods can be.

As a bumble bee hovers in place, the breeze it generates can lower the insect’s body temperature by 5°C, researchers report in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences.

Learn more: https://scim.ag/4ru6V45

FOOTAGE CREDITS: JORDAN ROBERT GLASS, CHRISTOPHER PETRANEK, AND MICHAEL E. DILLON

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