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Snow-loving flies amputate their own legs for survival

Insects that traipse across winter snowfields use harsh technique to keep their internal organs from freezing.
Snow flies self-amputate legs following internal ice formation.

A snow fly removes its own appendage after ice forms inside it (video has been sped up). Credit: John Tuthill

Not many insects thrive in snowy environments. Flightless crane flies in the genus Chionea are among the very few that do, and they use a surprising technique to cope with the cold.

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Nature 622, 11 (2023)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-023-03010-9

References

  1. Golding, D., Rupp, K., Sustar, A., Pratt, B. & Tuthill, J. C. Curr. Biol. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2023.09.002 (2023).

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