As wildfires continue to ravage parts of Europe, from the Mediterranean coastlines to the forests of the Balkans, scientists are looking beyond firefighting tactics to understand how nature itself copes with—and even exploits—blazes. Among the most intriguing subjects is a small, unassuming insect: the black fire beetle (Melanophila acuminata).
This beetle is one of the few creatures that actively seeks out fire. After a forest fire has swept through an area, it flies to the scorched remains to lay its eggs. Lydia Schübel, a biologist and head of animal welfare inspection at the Munich Animal Welfare Association, explains why: "The beetle flies towards the flames because its larvae can only develop in freshly burned trees. Healthy trees have defence mechanisms that the small white larvae cannot overcome."
What makes this even more remarkable is the beetle's ability to detect a fire from astonishing distances. According to Schübel, the insect can sense a blaze "at least 80 km away."
How the beetle 'hears' fire
For decades, researchers have been fascinated by the beetle's fire-detection abilities. Scientists at the University of Bonn have now demonstrated that the insect effectively "hears" fire using specialized sensory organs located on either side of its body. These organs consist of tiny fluid-filled cavities. When heat radiation from a fire hits these structures, the fluid expands and distorts delicate sensory hairs. The nervous system registers these pressure changes in much the same way it would detect sound waves.
This mechanism has become a model for new technology. Since the early 2000s, the Bonn team has been working to replicate the beetle's sensory organ in a technical form—a field known as bionics, where natural solutions are transferred to engineering applications. The researchers have developed a simple infrared sensor inspired by the beetle. Instead of the natural organ, it uses a thin plastic plate that expands slightly when exposed to thermal radiation and passes that movement to a sensor.
Project leader Helmut Schmitz noted in a progress report that wildfires in the European Union alone cause billions of euros in damage each year. Detecting them earlier could prevent devastating large-scale fires. In the long term, bionic infrared sensors could contribute to early fire detection systems.
The first prototypes cost only a few euros, making them significantly cheaper than conventional infrared sensors. Although they initially did not match the performance of existing devices, the team considers them a highly promising approach.
After the fire: nature's recovery
Beyond detection, the beetle plays a vital role in post-fire regeneration. It is one of the so-called pyrophilic species—animals that benefit from fire. Its larvae tunnel through dead wood, accelerating decomposition. According to Schübel, this process returns nutrients to the forest soil more quickly, while the loose dead wood creates favourable conditions for new plants.
The black fire beetle is not alone in this role. "Other pyrophilic animal species in Germany include the four-spot runner beetle, the pit ground beetle, the pine bark bug and the smoke fly," Schübel told Euronews. Worldwide, these species are regarded as important helpers in forest regeneration.
Some plants have also adapted to fire. Certain species have fire-resistant traits, while others only open their seed pods after intense heat, helping forests to regrow quickly. Even some bird species, such as the Eurasian wryneck, tree pipit, and common redstart, benefit temporarily from the changed habitats, using dead trees as nesting sites and finding food easily in open areas.
Wildfires remain natural disasters with mostly devastating consequences. Yet they also reveal how resilient ecosystems can be—and how much we can learn from nature. Paradoxically, a beetle that actively seeks out fire could one day help us detect blazes earlier and limit their impact.
