Wintering Goldenrod plant induced with gallWESTERN UNIVERSITY
During the North American winter, when most animals try to escape the cold, the Goldenrod gall fly (Eurosta solidaginis) stays put and freezes nearly solid. But pockets of liquid life remain within the fly, allowing the insect to resume its activities come spring. According to a study published today (April 30) in The Journal of Experimental Biology, E. solidaginis possesses a secret antifreeze weapon—a rare lipid.
Until now, only one type of lipid was thought to have antifreeze properties, according to study coauthor Brent Sinclair from the Western University in Ontario: “antifreeze glycolipids, [which were] discovered a few years ago by Jack Duman and colleagues at University of Notre Dame.”
The parasitic fly preys on a specific plant host—the Canada goldenrod, Solidago canadensis, a relative ...
