Image of the Day: Mayflies’ Short Life Getting Even Shorter
Mayflies are known for their short lives and now evidence in the U.K. has found that climate change is making those lives even shorter. According to National Geographic, a study by Nick Everall of Aquascience showed that while mayflies spend most of their lives as aquatic larvae, the time it takes before they emerge as winged adults can greatly vary. Everall links the accelerated development to a rise in water temperatures caused by climate change and suspects the warmer waters prompted the insect’s growth spurt by speeding its metabolism. Also, Everall says there is a rising danger of the water temps becoming too warm for the mayflies’ eggs, “so they have to complete their life cycle as early as they can.” Incidentally, June 25 - July 1 is National Insect Week in the U.K.
Credit: Laszlo Belogh/Reuters
