The hotter the wasp, the faster it flies. Sun on dark lava rocks keeps western yellowjackets warm. Wasps and bees can heat their flight muscles by shivering as well.
Honeybees and other insects in the hymenopteran group warm up when they find sweet nectar. Although these insects carry most of the nectar back to their hives, warming could be a metabolic response to sugary food.
But wasps and bees don't eat the protein they find. Instead they bring it back to the colony to feed the larvae.
Photo credit: Megan Eckles, UC San Diego
News story:
Wasps & Bumble Bees Heat Up, Fly Faster
RELATED
* Web site: Bee Lab
* Journal article: Yellowjackets thermoregulate
* Video: Hot bumble bees
* Related journal article: Bumble bees heat up