Scientists make incredible discovery when analyzing behavior of flies: 'The brain is already programmed'

How two fly species react to heat may help scientists understand animal behavior and distribution as well as the impact of rising global temperatures on wildlife.

What's happening?

Northwestern University researchers studied flies from cool forests in Northern California and hot deserts in the Southwest to analyze how they may have evolved from "a common ancestor dating back 40 million years," the school reported.

Published in Nature, the study revealed that the bugs' molecular and brain mechanisms activated in different conditions, with the forest flies seeking temperatures around 90 degrees Fahrenheit compared with the desert flies' 70 degrees Fahrenheit preference. The forest flies did this via "higher sensitivity in their antennae's molecular heat receptors," while the desert flies relied on "wiring in a region of the fly brain that helps compute the valence (inherent attractiveness or aversiveness) of sensory cues," according to the report.

Understanding these behaviors is imperative because they mark how creatures respond to the changing climate. The report noted that animals may, for example, migrate and change their distribution before surviving or dying. This is apparent with the spread of vector-borne diseases such as the Zika virus and malaria.

It added that insects have dramatically declined in the last 20 to 50 years but that data is scarce because "not enough people care about the insects," as Northwestern neurobiologist and fruit fly expert Marco Gallio, who calls himself an "insect advocate," put it.

Why is this important?

This decline of insects — which make up the largest animal group on Earth — threatens "most terrestrial food chains" and 70% of our crops, which are pollinated by insects, according to the report. One-third of insect species are endangered, and 40% are declining globally; 500,000 are at risk of extinction, NPR reported in 2022.

"When an animal is born, the brain is already programmed to know if many of the things it will encounter are bad or good for it, and we do not understand how that programming works," Gallio said. 

"These fly species represent a natural experiment because a stimulus that is good for one species is bad for the other, and we can study the differences that make it so," Gallio added.

In general, such studies enable us to learn about evolution and the natural systems that sustain life on Earth, providing opportunities to conserve fauna and flora to protect the environment and keep it intact for future generations.

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What's being done about the decline of insects?

To support bug life at home, you can take myriad steps. As a bonus, they will save you money and time on water usage and maintenance and make your home a safer, cleaner place to live.

Consider replacing your turf grass with an alternative such as clover or buffalo grass. Native plants also attract pollinators, other insects, and small animals.

Avoid chemical pesticides, and choose natural options that are just as effective.

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