Oviposited eggs are sensitive to experimental heatwaves

Extreme, variable heatwaves are predicted to increase in frequency under global warming, leading to thermal stress that can be damaging to biodiversity. Recently, it has been shown that exposure to heatwaves is detrimental for adult insect reproduction, reducing population viability. However, relatively little is known about how oviposited insect eggs, one of the early stages post-fertilisation, are affected by heatwaves. Here, we explore the impact of short- and longer-term thermal stress from experimental heatwaves in an economically important insect model, the red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum). We uncovered that even short-term exposures (of 2 and 5 hours at 30, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, and 50 °C) resulted in a drastic decline in the survival of oviposited eggs, a trend that was also observed when eggs experienced longer durations (1, 3, and 5 days at 42 °C). Experiments were run independently across two labs, with results found to be reproducible, reinforcing confidence in the findi..., , # Oviposited eggs are sensitive to experimental heatwaves

Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.80gb5mm39](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.80gb5mm39)

## Description of the data and file structure

***Oviposited eggs are sensitive to experimental heatwaves***

This study investigates the consequences of short- and long-term heatwave exposures on oviposited insect eggs (*Tribolium castaneum*) and subsequent embryonic survival, as well as developmental stage failures were quantified. Overall, from an outbred stock population (non-overlapping generations), we set up these assays. This work constitutes data files (.csv) and an Rscript file.

Everyone involved (except MJGG) in the study contributed to data collection. Miss. Natasha Brown (research technician) helped with some of the pilot study counts, helped curate the material, and ran the assays.

### File: UEA_Egg_HW_Results_2025.csv

Dataset describing adult counts (from lab A) when eggs were exposed to short-term experimental heatwaves across tem...,