Wingstroke frequency of foraging and hovering bumblebees in relation to morphology and temperature

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Abstract
Wingstroke frequency, morphometries and thoracic temperatures of freely foraging bumblebees were examined in the field at ambient temperatures varying from 10 to 29oC. Frequency was strongly correlated with morphometric parameters, particularly wing length, but was not correlated with either ambient or thoracic temperature. Magnitudes and scaling of frequency of foraging bees were comparable to values obtained for bees hovering in a closed chamber. These data indicate that frequency is primarily determined by morphometric characteristics which determine lift requirements and do not support the hypothesis that frequency is varied in response to environmental conditions as a means of in‐flight thermoregulation.