When the weather gets muggy, iridescent bees shift their metallic hue, a new study finds.
The insects are a rich blue-green when the humidity is low. But as moisture levels in the air rise, their color changes: It turns a coppery green.
Many bees have a shimmery exoskeleton. So this reversible mood-ring–like effect might be quite common, scientists now say. The day-to-day color of other bees and insects might similarly change with humidity.
Explainer: Insects, arachnids and other arthropods
Jorge De La Cruz is a college student at the University of California, Santa Barbara. There, he’s training as an evolutionary biologist. He first noticed the color-change effect while preparing bee specimens for preservation and study. This was at the Cheadle Center for Biodiversity and Ecological Restoration.
Museum scientists often place insect specimens in a moist chamber. It makes them more flexible for mounting and imagin...
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