News Climate

As temperatures rise, so do insects’ appetites for corn, rice and wheat

For each degree increase, the hungrier pests may do 10 to 25 percent more damage to the crops

wheat

WHEAT WORRY  Wheat now grown in temperate regions could be especially at risk from hungrier pests, such as aphids (one shown in the inset) with metabolisms revved by climate warming.

Keith Ewing (CC BY 2.0); USDA (inset)

By Susan Milius

- More than 2 years ago

With temperatures creeping up as the climate warms, those very hungry caterpillars could get even hungrier, and more abundant.