CO2 bee anaesthetic can cause complications

Most people don't really pay attention to the air they breathe. However, if you go up a mountain, where oxygen levels are lower, you'll notice as huff and puff while taking normal walk around town. Changes in amounts of different gases that make we breathe can have noticeable effects other animals well, especially insects. ‘Low concentrations carbon dioxide (CO2) often used an attractant or repellent’, says Anna Cressman Pennsylvania State University, USA; however, high cause behavioural physiological changes, even result unconsciousness. Frequently, researchers use 100% CO2 anaesthetize insects (called narcosis), but side-effects exposure not considered. Working with Etya Amsalem, also asked what is causing these bumblebees (Bombus impatiens) – lack oxygen, level itself.Carbon usually found at 0.04% air, so duo pumped either CO2, 50% low nitrogen gas (which means there no oxygen) into chamber containing bees for 1 min, recording how many passed out, then filmed monitor behaved once awoke, well checking affected roles, queens workers, colony.Sure enough, when team compared pure nitrogen, bees’ responses were quite different. Even though both knocked after recovering from sedation, had inhaled anaesthetised nitrogen. The CO2-anaesthetised their abdomens more took longer regain consciousness. In addition, on worker queen bees, workers produced smaller eggs several doses whereas larger single dose gas. impact two expression six specific genes involved egg production protection she discovered reacted differently.The differed: seemed be vulnerable than only requiring one dose, begin showing during recovery, contrast which required multiple before became apparent. ‘The fact changes suggests simply depriving does something else likely direct cells’, Amsalem concludes.So, inhaling affect roles colony ways, should aware potential complications this may using experiments.