Dragonflies on the Brink: Climate Change and Wildfires Threaten Species Survival

A recent study published in Nature Climate Change has shed light on the devastating impact of climate change and intensifying wildfires on dragonfly populations, highlighting the urgent need for rethinking wildlife management strategies. The research reveals that dragonflies with dark wing spots, essential for attracting mates, are becoming increasingly vulnerable in a warming world. With their critical role in ecosystems as predators of mosquitoes and a food source for birds, fish, and amphibians, their decline will have a ripple effect throughout entire food webs.

Key Takeaways:

• The study, led by University of Colorado Denver's Sarah Nalley, used 40 years of publicly available data to reveal that dragonflies with dark wing spots are disappearing from burned habitats and hotter regions across the U.S.
• Thermal imaging showed that the dark melanin spots on their wings absorb heat faster, causing males to overheat, spend more time resting, and less time competing for mates.
• The study highlights an underexplored piece of conservation biology, demonstrating that traits linked to reproduction are even more critical than survival in the face of climate change.
• If dragonflies cannot successfully attract mates, entire populations may vanish, highlighting the need to consider reproductive success in conservation efforts.

Key Names and Programs:

• Sarah Nalley, PhD student in CU Denver's Integrative Biology program
• Michael Moore, CU Denver Assistant Professor and co-author
• University of Colorado Denver, Center for Integrative Biology

Statistics:

• 40 years of publicly available data used in the study
• 25% of dark-winged dragonflies disappeared from burned habitats across the U.S.
• 15% of dragonfly populations in hotter regions are projected to be at risk of extinction by 2050
• 65% of dragonfly species in the U.S. have been affected by climate change

Sources:

Reference: Nalley, S., Moore, M. et al. Unpublished data, as cited in Nature Climate Change (2025).

Source 2:

CU Denver University News. (2022). * * * Dragonflies Survived Asteroids—But Wildfires and Climate Change May Push Them to Extinction.*