英国科学家在2026年夏季发现黄蜂种群数量出现异常下降1。相应地，媒体关于黄蜂骚扰的报道数量也随之减少，防虫公司接到的蜂巢移除请求也很少1。研究人员怀疑极端温度波动、连续热浪和食物短缺是造成黄蜂数量下降的主要原因1。
科学家指出，黄蜂的生存能力在高温环境下受到严重威胁。黄蜂的临界热最大值约为45°C（113°F）1，而英国2026年夏季地表温度曾超过50°C1，远超黄蜂的耐热上限。极端高温不仅可能直接超过黄蜂的生理承受极限，还会间接影响其行为和生存能力——大黄蜂在32°C的热浪中认知能力和觅食效率受损1。研究人员还发现了黄蜂体型异常小的现象，可能反映了极端高温如何改变昆虫种群的特征1。社会性黄蜂的表皮碳氢化合物会随温度变化改变结构以防止干燥1，这表明黄蜂正试图适应恶劣环境。
英国的Big Wasp Survey是该国唯一的国家级黄蜂监测调查项目1，为科学家提供了关键的数据支撑。
British scientists have documented a significant decline in wasp numbers during the summer of 2026, accompanied by a sharp decrease in media reports of wasp disturbances and fewer requests to pest control companies for hive removal.1 Researchers suspect that extreme temperature fluctuations, consecutive heat waves, and food scarcity are the primary drivers of this population crash.1 One particular concern is that temperatures may be exceeding the critical thermal maximum for wasps, approximately 45°C (113°F), a threshold beyond which the insects cannot survive.1 Ground surface temperatures in Britain surpassed 50°C during the period in question.1
The ecological consequences of such extreme heat extend beyond simple mortality. Wasps discovered during surveys exhibited unusually small body sizes, potentially reflecting how intense temperatures are reshaping insect populations at a biological level.1 Research indicates that bumblebees, which have a critical thermal maximum around 49°C, experience impaired cognitive abilities and reduced foraging efficiency during heat waves of 32°C.1 Additionally, social wasps undergo structural changes in their epidermal hydrocarbons in response to temperature variations, a physiological adaptation designed to prevent desiccation.1 The Big Wasp Survey remains Britain's sole national-level monitoring initiative for tracking wasp populations.1
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