Description: Rising temperatures, caused by the synergistic effects of climate change and the urban heat island effect have been confirmed to be one of the biggest factors hurting wild bee populations. Studies show that when bees are exposed to adverse temperatures, they are less likely to pollinate, and are at higher risk of death. Bees are greatly impacted by temperature changes because they are ectotherms and depend on the external environment temperature to regulate their bodily functions.

The image shows the experimental apparatus that we used to investigate how bees will be impacted by rising temperatures. Using the heater, shown in the photo, we heated flowers to emulate increased temperature from climate change and record changes in bee visitation.

Why did you conduct this research? This research is critical as bees are the most diverse and important pollinators, and microhabitat temperature might influence which plants get pollinated and which bees are going to flourish in our changing environment. Our ecosystem is extremely reliant on bees, and we need research like this to show how to protect them in our changing world.

Technique: Mahor Atai used an 18mm Canon EOS REBEL T5i to take the image.

Photographic documentation can be a helpful tool in showcasing research and any experiments that come along with it. With photography especially, experiments can be shown in their most absolute form, and in the case of this photograph, it presents a vital part in the research/experiment.

Acknowledgements: I would like to acknowledge our photographer, Mahor Atai for her thoughtful documentation of this experiment. I would also and my supervisor Scott MacIvor and all my field assistants, Devlin Grewal, Saraf Nawar, and Christina Cao.