Our very own emblem the ‘mariposa’ (butterfly) could lose its spots as the climate warms, according to new findings by scientists at the University of Exeter.
Female Meadow Brown butterflies that developed at 11C had six spots on average, while those that developed at 15C had just three spots.
Scientists predict that the spotting will continue to decrease year on year as the planet continues to warm.
This new finding is just one of the many effects that rising temperatures are having on our wildlife and our planet as a whole and, while this new finding may not have catastrophic effects, it is yet another indicator that human behaviour is impacting our environment.
One of the main causes of climate change is the burning of fossil fuels to produce electricity. When fossil fuels are burned, carbon dioxide is released and becomes trapped in our atmosphere, leading to global warming.
By moving to green, renewable energies, such as solar power and wind power, we can all do our bit in the fight against climate change and help to slow the rate at which our planet is warming.
