|
A handout picture released on September 23, 2020 by Andrew Bladon of University of Cambridge shows a Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni butterfly on July 29, 2020. Key to butterfly climate survival may be in the wings. Whether a butterfly's wings absorb or reflect heat from the sun could be a matter of life and death in a warming world, according to British research published on September 24, 2020 calling for gardens, parks and farms to host shady, cooling-off spots. While all butterflies are ectotherms – they cannot generate their own body heat – their ability to thermoregulate varies significantly between species, researchers said. The study found that those that struggle to moderate their body temperatures often rely on being able to escape the full heat of the sun in shady “microclimates” to survive. (Photo by Andrew BLADON/University of Cambridge/AFP Photo)
|
