ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Science → Biology

Dragonflies drop their bling when it gets too hot — and climate change spells trouble

The wing bling could be making male dragonflies too hot for their own good.

Mihai AndreibyMihai Andrei
July 6, 2021
in Biology, News
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit

RelatedPosts

Extremely cold climate may have sealed Neanderthals’ extinction
Losing Nemo: Climate change threatens the colorful clownfish
“No more delays” — Developing countries urge for real climate action before crucial summit
Mangrove forests could be gone by 2050 if sea levels continue to rise

The males of dragonflies, like those of many other species, go to great lengths to draw potential mates. In the case of dragonflies, the males developed patches of dark pigment on their wings. Researchers have found that the hotter it gets, the more likely it is for the dragonflies to lose their colorful patches — and climate change could be making dragonfly males less and less attractive.

Credit: Unsplash.

Michael Moore and colleagues at Washington University in St. Louis analyzed hundreds of thousands of dragonfly records uploaded to the iNaturalist community science platform. Overall, researchers looked at 319 North American species and compared them to the animals’ home climates. They found that the hotter the climate was, the more likely it was for the patches to fade away. Conversely, dragonflies in cooler climates often had darker and more elaborate patches.

“Our study shows that the wing pigmentation of dragonfly males evolves so consistently in response to the climate that it’s among the most predictable evolutionary responses ever observed for a mating-related trait,” said Moore, who is a postdoctoral fellow with the Living Earth Collaborative at Washington University.

“This work reveals that mating-related traits can be just as important to how organisms adapt to their climates as survival-related traits,” he said.

As it so often happens in nature, reproduction-related traits come at a cost. In this case, the dark patches can heat up the dragonflies by as much as 2 degrees Celsius (3.5 Fahrenheit), because darker colors absorb more solar energy. So in places that are already hot, maintaining the dark patches becomes harder and harder. As climate change continues to kick in and temperatures continue to rise, researchers expect the patches to progressively grow smaller.

“Given that our planet is expected to continue warming, our results suggest that dragonfly males may eventually need to adapt to global climate change by evolving less wing coloration,” Moore said.

Image credits: Jack Kaminski.

Intriguingly, females don’t seem to undergo the same change. Females can also have colorful patches, but these don’t seem to get smaller in hotter climates. This potentially spells even more problems down the line, because it suggests that climate change won’t just make males less attractive, but it could make females unable to recognize males of their own species, potentially even causing them to mate with the wrong species.

“Unlike the males, dragonfly females are not showing any major shifts in how their wing coloration is changing with the current climate. We don’t yet know why males and females are so different, but this does show that we shouldn’t assume that the sexes will adapt to climate change in the same way,” Moore said.

The findings showcase the sometimes unexpected challenges that creatures face as the planet’s climate continues to heat up. Even dragonflies, the most efficient predators of the animal kingdom, aren’t spared of the effects — no creature is.

The study was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Tags: climate changedragonfly

ShareTweetShare
Mihai Andrei

Mihai Andrei

Dr. Andrei Mihai is a geophysicist and founder of ZME Science. He has a Ph.D. in geophysics and archaeology and has completed courses from prestigious universities (with programs ranging from climate and astronomy to chemistry and geology). He is passionate about making research more accessible to everyone and communicating news and features to a broad audience.

Related Posts

Climate

Climate Change Unleashed a Hidden Wave That Triggered a Planetary Tremor

byMihai Andrei
2 weeks ago
Champiñón Hongos Naturaleza Setas Reino Fungi
Animal facts

What do Fungi, Chameleons, and Humans All Have in Common? We’re all Heterotrophs

byShiella Olimpos
4 weeks ago
Climate

Climate Change Is Rewriting America’s Gardening Map and Some Plants Can’t Keep Up

byGrace van Deelen
1 month ago
Climate

Scientists Create “Bait” to Lure Baby Corals Back to Dying Reefs

byMihai Andrei
2 months ago

Recent news

Scientists Just Proved Ancient Humans Were in North America 10,000 Years Earlier Than We Thought

June 30, 2025

What’s Seasonal Body Image Dissatisfaction and How Not to Fall into Its Trap

June 28, 2025

Why a 20-Minute Nap Could Be Key to Unlocking ‘Eureka!’ Moments Like Salvador Dalí

June 28, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • How we review products
  • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Science News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Space
  • Future
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Physics
      • Matter and Energy
      • Quantum Mechanics
      • Thermodynamics
    • Chemistry
      • Periodic Table
      • Applied Chemistry
      • Materials
      • Physical Chemistry
    • Biology
      • Anatomy
      • Biochemistry
      • Ecology
      • Genetics
      • Microbiology
      • Plants and Fungi
    • Geology and Paleontology
      • Planet Earth
      • Earth Dynamics
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Volcanoes
      • Dinosaurs
      • Fossils
    • Animals
      • Mammals
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
      • Invertebrates
      • Pets
      • Conservation
      • Animal facts
    • Climate and Weather
      • Climate change
      • Weather and atmosphere
    • Health
      • Drugs
      • Diseases and Conditions
      • Human Body
      • Mind and Brain
      • Food and Nutrition
      • Wellness
    • History and Humanities
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • History
      • Economics
      • People
      • Sociology
    • Space & Astronomy
      • The Solar System
      • Sun
      • The Moon
      • Planets
      • Asteroids, meteors & comets
      • Astronomy
      • Astrophysics
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets & Alien Life
      • Spaceflight and Exploration
    • Technology
      • Computer Science & IT
      • Engineering
      • Inventions
      • Sustainability
      • Renewable Energy
      • Green Living
    • Culture
    • Resources
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Editorial policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.