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## Dragonflies and Climate Change

Some male dragonflies have a waxy coat that keeps them cool while pursuing mates and may also help the insects shrug off a warming climate. U.S. dragonfly species that produce the special wax are faring better in the face of ever-hotter and drier conditions compared with their waxless counterparts. This suggests the wax acts as a buffer against climate change, researchers report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

### The Ecological Superpower of Dragonflies

The wax gives some dragonflies a kind of ÔÇ£ecological superpowerÔÇØ for being able to use an expanded range of habitats, says Michael Moore, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Colorado Denver. MooreÔÇÖs team has studied how warming climates affect dragonfly coloration, and the researchers were itching to test a slightly different idea ÔÇö whether lacking a trait involved with mating might limit species from inhabiting certain climates, especially as those climates rapidly change.

### Wax as a Protective Shield

In some dragonfly species, mature males exude an ÔÇ£unusual concoctionÔÇØ of hydrocarbons over their exoskeleton, Moore says. This bright, waxy, UV-reflective ÔÇ£pruinescenceÔÇØ forms a thick, frosty-looking layer that can cover the whole body. His team suspected that the wax shields dragonflies from water loss and overheating, a potential boon in hot, arid climes. Laboratory experiments confirmed this protective role, which could be a major advantage given many dragonfliesÔÇÖ mating behavior.

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### Evolutionary Insights from Dragonflies

Male dragonflies expose themselves to plenty of heat and desiccation around sunlit ponds, defending a mating territory and watching for occasional female passersby. This is particularly the case in species that use a ÔÇ£percherÔÇØ strategy, where the males rest exposed in the sun and only move to chase away intruders or pursue females. Moore and his team tested whether pruinescence is likely an adaptation for dealing with a brutally hot and dry mating strategy.

### Adaptation to Climate Change

Using mating behavior data from 319 dragonfly species in North America, the team compared ÔÇ£percherÔÇØ species with ÔÇ£flierÔÇØ species, which continually buzz around and take drink breaks, allowing them to stay cool and hydrated. Sure enough, percher males were more likely to have the protective wax than their flier counterparts. The team developed a computer model for understanding how and when pruin…

#### The Future of Dragonflies

And he wonders if other insects have sexual adaptations that could provide buffers against climate change. For example, some male cicadas can heat up to over 22 degrees Celsius higher than their surroundings when singing. These insects must have some impressive biology for beating the heat during mating, Moore says.

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