GabyAccording to a new study, these insects exhibit an exceptionally high tolerance to alcohol, unmatched in the animal kingdom. A team of researchers from Tel Aviv University fed a group of eastern hornets alcohol, including solutions with an 80% concentration, for a week. Remarkably, the hornets remained sober and energetic. What accounts for the resilience of these tiny creatures?
The eastern hornet (Vespa orientalis) measures between 19 to 32 centimeters in length as an adult and features a rusty-red body with gray-yellow markings. They inhabit semi-arid subtropical regions of Asia, the Caucasus, southern Europe, and North Africa. By preying on honeybees, they pose a threat to beekeeping. What did the researchers discover?
Alcohol consumption is actually quite normal in the animal world. Most often, we hear about bears or squirrels indulging a bit too much. Typically, animals obtain alcohol from fermented ripe fruits or nectar that produces ethanol. Scientists noted that the vast majority of animal species, even those well-adapted to ethanol, become intoxicated with just 4% alcohol. Moreover, its consumption can worsen an animal’s health and sometimes even threaten its life. However, eastern hornets can withstand ethanol concentrations of up to 80% without any changes in behavior or negative health effects, even when this is all they consumed daily for an entire week.
How was the experiment conducted, and what did it reveal? The team involved a group of male hornets to investigate how they metabolize ethanol. The insects were placed in boxes for a week and fed only sugar solutions with alcohol concentrations ranging from 0 to 80%. During the experiments, the scientists observed the behavior of the subjects, particularly their ability to build structures from soil and paper under the influence of ethanol, as well as their lifespan following these “indulgences.” Regardless of the ethanol concentration given to the hornets, researchers found that it did not affect the insects’ behavior or mortality rates.
“Initially, we conducted the experiment only with 20% ethanol and were already impressed,” said Eran Levin, a co-author of the study. The scientists found it hard to believe that the insects could handle 80% alcohol, as reported by IFLScience.
The secret lies in their impressive genetics. The authors of the study explained that the eastern hornets’ ability to consume large amounts of strong alcohol without any side effects is due to their genetic makeup. “This remarkable tolerance to alcohol in hornets is a result of a high rate of ethanol metabolism, likely facilitated by multiple copies of the alcohol dehydrogenase (NADP+) gene,” the scientists concluded. While eastern hornets have proven to be champions in drinking, this doesn’t mean other animals can’t hold their own. For instance, bats and primates are considered the most alcohol-resistant among mammals. Meanwhile, if given a choice between water and alcohol, hamsters are more likely to opt for the stronger option.
The results of the study were published in the journal PNAS.
