Air pollution is ruining flies' sex lives.
Air pollution is destroying flies' sex lives
New research has revealed that male fruit flies exposed to pollution struggle to recognise insects of the opposite sex and show an interest in other males instead.
Females flies were found to be less attracted to males exposed to ozone pollution and are much slower to respond to attempts at courtship.
The scientists say that their findings, which have been published in the journal Nature Communications, raise fears that air pollution is contributing to the declining insect population across the globe.
Study author Professor Bill Hansson, of the Max Planck Centre on Next Generation Insect Chemical Ecology, said: "Insects and their pheromones have evolved over millions of years.
"In contrast, the concentration of air pollutants has only increased dramatically since industrialisation.
"It is unlikely that the communication systems of insects, which have evolved over the course of evolution, will be able to adapt to new conditions within a short period of time if pheromones are suddenly no longer there.
"The only solution to this dilemma is to immediately reduce pollutants in the atmosphere."