The Effects of Temperature and Predators on the Size of Insects
A new study published in Nature has found that the size of insects is determined by the temperature and the presence of predators.
Researchers from the University of Zurich have discovered that insect species that inhabit areas with higher temperatures and higher numbers of predators tend to be smaller in size. This is to increase their chances of survival, as smaller insects can better evade predators, and at higher temperatures, the metabolic rate of insects is increased, which requires more energy.
The study found that the size of an insect species would change as the temperature and number of predators changed, as larger insects require more energy to keep warm and can be more easily detected by predators. In turn, the smaller size of the insects gives them an advantage in terms of both energy and predator avoidance. This demonstrates the importance of temperature and predation in the evolution of insect species.
source: Phys.org