The effects of a single heatwave were even felt in the offspring of heat exposed parents, with more daughters being born than sons. 

The study helps explain why tsetse are declining in some parts of their range in Africa and has important implications for the disease they spread, particularly sleeping sickness in humans and nagana in cattle. 

Ultimately, heatwaves can drive insect biodiversity loss through both direct death and fertility losses, which is concerning given that heatwaves are increasing in frequency and intensity due to ongoing climate change. 

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Paper: Weaving H, Terblnache JS & English S (2024). Heatwaves are detrimental to fertility in the viviparous tsetse fly. Proceedings of the Royal Society B.