Beetles and Climate Change: How These Tiny Creatures Are Adapting
As the world changes, it isn't just human beings feeling the impact. Climate change has a dramatic effect on the environment and local ecosystems, causing some species to change, evolve and adapt. The impact of climate change on insects is apparent as their environment rapidly changes. Some of these adaptations can cause behavior that's a bit more troublesome as insects are driven from their native habitats, while other behaviors demonstrate that these bugs might need our help.
Beetles are one such example of an insect affected by climate change. This categorization of insects, distinguished by their round bodies and colorful carapaces, depends on local flora to survive - so what happens when that local flora is in danger? The beetles have to adapt, and those adaptations can cause problems for other insects, animals and even people living near their ecosystems. So how exactly are beetles adapting?
Beetles are Getting Smaller
So what is the future of beetles in a warming world? Getting smaller is one particular adaptation. A study reported on in the Journal of Animal Ecology noted that numerous species shrank as the global temperature rose, due to changes in the availability of food and the presence of predators. Four of the largest species of beetles shrank as much as 20% in the past 45 years, while smaller beetles were seemingly unaffected.
On the surface, this might seem like a good thing. Smaller beetles mean less grain devoured, fewer crops destroyed, and, of course, less annoyance to those of us afraid of the bugs. However, if beetles are on average becoming smaller, this also means less pollen collected from flowers, fewer bothersome insects preyed upon and less food for other animals that eat these beetles. Instead of the number of beetles decreasing, on average, beetles are able to do less.
While it is not yet confirmed that climate change is the sole cause for the size decrease in beetles, this phenomenon has been studied in many animal species including fish - suggesting that this shrinking might be universal. With less food available and unstable ecosystems for beetles, shrinking might be the only solution.
Beetles are Seeking Out New Food Sources
The food scarcity for beetles is two-fold. Not only have they adapted by becoming smaller, but they're also seeking out new habitats - this includes your home. With shorter seasons and fewer forests for the beetles to reside in, they need a safe space to find food. Food for beetles looks a little different - they eat other small insects, rotting plant material, wood and even cardboard, and many of these food sources can be found in ample amounts around your home. As forest ecosystems change, you might see more insects in general residing inside your house.
Hotter temperatures also affect the growth of beetles. The warmer the temperature, the faster they develop - meaning that they reproduce faster as well. With less time spent overwintering, a process where beetles wait out the winter, If a species of beetle makes it home in the walls of your house, they can quickly become an infestation. Many beetles typically only produce a single brood each year, but as their active periods increase, they'll have more time to reproduce, resulting in hundreds more beetles in places they can access with food readily available.
Overpopulation of Beetles Accelerates Climate Change
Not every species of beetle has trouble finding food in this changing world. In fact, for bark borers and other tree-eating beetles, there's more food than ever before. These types of beetles eat a wide variety of trees, with some of the most common bark-boring beetle species eating pine trees in particular. These types of beetles dig burrows deep inside the trunks of pine trees to lay their eggs. Pine beetles in particular deposit a type of fungus that helps to feed the larvae, with the unfortunate side effect of killing the tree. Since beetles feed upon this fungus and decaying wood, the combination results in ample food.
Since warmer weather means more beetle reproductive cycles, this means that more pine beetles make their way into the environment. Traditionally, these beetles only reproduce once per year - but that number is up. Double the amount of pine beetles currently residing within their native habitats means double the amount of dying trees, which can rapidly result in deforestation.
But the effect is multi-fold. Not only does the increased population of these beetles result in more dying trees, but these dead trees can cause numerous problems. In hot regions prone to wildfires, this means more dried-out trees that could potentially catch on fire - contributing to the growth and spread of these fires throughout affected regions. This effect has been studied throughout the western United States, with these beetles acting as one contributing factor. A higher number of dead trees also means more trees falling during heavy storms, which can have a dramatic effect on regions affected by hurricanes. When hurricane season brings heavy rain and strong winds, these dead trees will quickly become displaced as their roots no longer act as a secure anchor. They can fall on power lines, cars and even homes.
Climate Change Beetles and You
So what can be done about these changes? On a global scale, we must be proactive in fighting climate change wherever we can - investing in green, sustainable solutions. On an individual level, we can prevent beetle overpopulation and use eco-friendly pesticides. By fighting beetle infestations in your yard or inside your home, you can prevent their population from overtaking your local ecosystem.
This might not seem like much, but when combined with using eco-friendly pest solutions instead of pesticides, the effect adds up. Pesticides are a contributing factor to climate change as they can adversely affect local wildlife outside of the insects that are driven off. Pesticides can kill birds, fish, small mammals and more. At MosquitoNix®, we use green, environmentally friendly insect solutions to repel insects and limit their breeding cycles. Contact us today to find out more and be a part of a cleaner, greener tomorrow.
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