Stories by Bernd Heinrich

An expert shares his secrets

Curiously lacking in highly specialized adaptations for the cold, certain nondescript moth species can nevertheless do what their relatives cannot: fly, feed and mate at near-fi-eezing temperatures

Honeybees must be warm in order to fly. Therefore the temperature of an immobile swarm must be closely controlled so that when scout bees have found a new nest site the swarm is ready for a fast takeoff

Scarab beetles playa key ecological role in removing the dung left by herds of mammals. Success in the vigorous competition among such beetles depends in part on their body temperature

The bumblebee, like many other insects, evolved in interaction with the flowers it feeds on and pollinates. This evolutionary interaction is apparent in the energy budget of its activities

The flight muscles of certain insects cannot function properly until they have been warmed up by a process that resembles shivering. The system also keeps the insect from overheating