Cyprian honey bees under attack by predator hornets have evolved a grisly and lethal way of fighting back which scientists have called "asphyxia-balling".
An intruding hornet looking for a snack in a beehive may suddenly find itself enveloped inside a buzzing ball of black-and-yellow worker drones. The bees squeeze in tightly around the abdomen - where hornets breath - until the would be aggressor dies of suffocation.
Asian honey bees also form a deadly scrum around a hornet but rather than smothering the attacker, they kill it by raising the hornet's body temperature - by pressing in while buzzing their wings - beyond a critical threshold.
Cyprian bees, however, cannot generate enough heat to kill by "thermo-balling" and thus crush in on the hornet's abdomen.
In the end, the hornet dies from a combination of overheating, carbon dioxide poisoning and lack of oxygen.
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Full Version: Bees killing predator hornets by suffocation
I saw a program on this once, it was really incredible to watch!
I believe I saw the same program as you did…
In summary it covered how the traditional British Bee is incapable of defending itself, so the option of taking these other species is more appealing as they have developed the defence over generations.
The bee that uses the temperature by smothering has a threshold of survival of only 2 degrees over the hornet, but this is ample to kill the hornet outright.
Watching the hornets wipe out bee after bee was both fascinating and frightening and can understand how whole bee farms (?) are wiped out.
In summary it covered how the traditional British Bee is incapable of defending itself, so the option of taking these other species is more appealing as they have developed the defence over generations.
The bee that uses the temperature by smothering has a threshold of survival of only 2 degrees over the hornet, but this is ample to kill the hornet outright.
Watching the hornets wipe out bee after bee was both fascinating and frightening and can understand how whole bee farms (?) are wiped out.
Clever buggers!!!!
Ew. That's not good at all. I hope they find the problem.
QUOTE(Roj47 @ Sep 18 2007, 01:05 AM) 
I believe I saw the same program as you did…
In summary it covered how the traditional British Bee is incapable of defending itself, so the option of taking these other species is more appealing as they have developed the defence over generations.
The bee that uses the temperature by smothering has a threshold of survival of only 2 degrees over the hornet, but this is ample to kill the hornet outright.
Watching the hornets wipe out bee after bee was both fascinating and frightening and can understand how whole bee farms (?) are wiped out.
In summary it covered how the traditional British Bee is incapable of defending itself, so the option of taking these other species is more appealing as they have developed the defence over generations.
The bee that uses the temperature by smothering has a threshold of survival of only 2 degrees over the hornet, but this is ample to kill the hornet outright.
Watching the hornets wipe out bee after bee was both fascinating and frightening and can understand how whole bee farms (?) are wiped out.
It sounds like the same program, and i was amazed at how they all seem to act like a real invading army! Every bee has it,s job and there are scouts and those that seem to keep back and watch for areas of weakness and if they see a weak spot they call others to that area and talk about ruthless! I,m really glad their small, they are so affective at attacking and killing and looting the hives it was mind boggling!
Saw something about it on T.V when then were talking about like Japanese Hornets/Wasps...scary stuff..those things are huge..good for the bees on using their..um...heads?
And we think we are the only species capable of thinking out things...
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