Question: how do insects survive in such cold weather

Octavia Brayley answered on 10 Nov 2023: last edited 10 Nov 2023 11:57 am

Awesome question! That is one of the research questions that I am investigating. There are only two species of insect in Antarctica, and one of them- Belgica antarctica has been well-studied to understand how it’s able to survive. They have lots of genes that give them certain adaptations to be able to survive. For example, they produce antifreeze proteins to stop them from freezing, and they also produce different lipids and glucose which also prevent them from freezing. They’re able to lose about 70% of their water just before winter, which reduces the chances of ice crystals forming in their cells (and therefore killing them), and they go into a state of ‘dormancy’ which is similar to hibernation. This is an extreme example of insect adaptation in really cold environments, but of course, even insects in the UK have to survive the chilly winter. Find out more here:

And there’s also a video on Belgica antarctica: