For weeks now, devastating wildfires have been raging across large parts of Europe. Entire regions have to be evacuated, people are losing their homes and, time and again, lives are being lost. The persistent heat is making the situation even worse. According to many researchers, climate change is increasing both the frequency and intensity of forest fires.
However, science has long since been looking not only at how fires can be extinguished . It is also investigating what happens afterwards and which solutions nature itself has in store. A key role here is played by a rather inconspicuous inhabitant of our forests: the black pine jewel beetle.
A beetle that seeks out fire
The black pine jewel beetle (Melanophila acuminata) is one of the few animals that actively respond to forest fires. As soon as a fire has gone out, it flies to the burnt areas to lay its eggs there. Biologist Lydia Schübel, head of the animal welfare inspection unit at the Munich Animal Welfare Association, explains to Euronews why this is.
"The beetle flies towards the flames because its larvae can only develop in freshly burnt trees. Healthy trees have defence mechanisms that the small white larvae cannot overcome."
