Oriental Hornets Have The Highest Alcohol Tolerance Of Any Creature In The Animal Kingdom, An Evolutionary Trait That Helps Them Use Food Sources Others Often Avoid
It turns out that Oriental hornets have a freakishly high tolerance for alcohol. In fact, they have the highest-known alcohol tolerance than any other creature in the animal kingdom, according to a team of scientists from Tel Aviv University in Israel.
Previous research has shown that many plants produce fruit or nectar that naturally undergo fermentation as they rot, resulting in the production of ethanol.
Many animals get energy and nutrients from fermented foods since they are calorie-dense. Most animals that consume concentrations of ethanol above four percent have been seen to experience negative effects, such as difficulties with moving or flying normally.
In the new study, the team noticed that Oriental hornets do not seem to have trouble functioning despite their diet of rotten fruit. So, they decided to test multiple samples to learn more about the hornets’ tolerance to ethanol.
The researchers gave the hornets solutions of sucrose with ethanol added to them. They started with low doses and found that the hornets did not show any negative effects, even at levels of 20 percent.
They increased the dose to 80 percent to observe what would happen. The hornets appeared to be a little tipsy for a brief period. Then, they were soon able to sober up and continue their regular activities.
“Once, I even saw a few individuals lying on their backs. I was pretty sure they were going to die, but when I checked back a few minutes later, they had completely recovered,” said Sofia Bouchebti, an ecologist and co-author of the study.
The research team pointed out that such high amounts of alcohol would have killed any other creature. For comparison, European honeybees will die within 24 hours after ingesting that same alcohol content.
The Oriental hornet’s impressive alcohol tolerance is due to its physiology. These insects possess several copies of the alcohol dehydrogenase gene, which helps break down alcohol.
JossK – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual hornet
The researchers suggest that extra copies of the gene evolved due to the relationship that the hornets have with yeast.
Hornets like to eat yeast, especially in the winter. It builds their tolerance to ethanol with each fermented fruit they consume.
The yeast lives and reproduces inside the hornets’ intestines, aiding in alcohol breakdown. In return, the hornets help spread the yeast among each other.
Since the hornets can metabolize alcohol quickly, the intoxicating effects are significantly reduced. This evolutionary trait allows hornets to utilize food sources that other animals avoid because of the high alcohol content, narrowing down competition for resources.
Furthermore, by eating overripe fruit, the hornets contribute to the continued cycling of nutrients and help spread seeds in their habitats. They are clearly important in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem.
The study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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