University of Sheffield - Hot male bodies needed

Hot males are in high demand among female damselflies, scientists have discovered. Researchers from the University of Sheffield used thermographic imaging and high-speed photography to study the insects' courtship ritual, in which males use high-frequency wingbeats. The study revealed that females were more attracted to males whose bodies had been warmed by the sun because warm territories provided the optimal conditions for egg laying. Michael Siva-Jothy, one of the authors of the study, said: "A male can become a wimp when his perch is in the shade."