High temperatures compromise hermaphrodite worm sperm production due to defective small RNA inheritance, leading them to secrete pheromones that attract males.

“What happens is that the stress, the high temperatures, compromise the production of sperm in the hermaphrodites. So the hermaphrodites don't, they make sperm enough to make next generations, but the sperm, because of defective small RNA, inherited. Because the RNAs are not inherited, okay? The sperm is not made optimally, so they make less sperm. And when they don't make a lot of sperm, they feel that they don't self-fertilize correctly. So they call the males by secreting the pheromones so that it would provide its own sperm and they can continue to make babies.”