Meadow Brown Butterflies are Developing Fewer Spots Because of Global Warming

Scientists from the University of Exeter have found that female meadow brown butterflies are undergoing an unexpected adaptation due to global warming. The study reveals that the temperature during the development of their chrysalises influences the number of spots on their wings.

The research, published in the journal Ecology and Evolution, highlights that female meadow brown butterflies whose chrysalises developed at 11°C exhibited an average of six spots on their wings, while those developing at 15°C had only three spots on average. This unexpected correlation challenges long-held views among lepidopterists regarding the purpose of butterfly spots.

Meadow brown butterflies, commonly found in grasslands across Europe, have large eyespots on their forewings. These eyespots are believed to startle and alarm predators, diverting their attention away from the butterfly’s vulnerable body. The eyespots also serve as a decoy, encouraging predators to focus on the wing edge, minimizing damage to the butterfly.

The hind wings of meadow browns also feature smaller spots, thought to act as camouflage when the butterfly is at rest in grass. Professor Richard ffrench-Constant, co-author of the study, explains, “Our findings show that fewer of these hindwing spots appear when females experience higher temperatures during their pupal stage.”

This suggests that meadow brown butterflies adapt their camouflage based on temperature conditions. With fewer spots, they may be harder to detect on dry, brown grass, which is more common in hotter weather. Interestingly, the study did not observe a significant effect in males, suggesting that the spots on male butterflies may be more crucial for sexual selection.

Earthlings For Life by Tiny Rescue: Climate Collection

Related Content:

• New Study Reveals That The Largest Great Ape to Ever Exist Went Extinct Because of Climate Change
• Poison Ivy is a Growing Threat Because of Climate Change
• Flowers Are Changing Color Because of Climate Change
• Birds are Shrinking Because of Climate Change

Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

• Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store, to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
• Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Take initiative by standing up against fast fashion Pollution and supporting sustainable and circular brands like Tiny Rescue that raise awareness around important issues through recycled zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade over and over again.
• Support Independent Media: Being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!
• Sign a Petition: Your voice matters! Help turn petitions into victories by signing the latest list of must-sign petitions to help people, animals, and the planet.
• Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest news and important stories involving animals, the environment, sustainable living, food, health, and human interest topics by subscribing to our newsletter!
• Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!