Combining math and entomology to predict, mitigate soybean aphid outbreaks

Iowa State researchers are developing mathematical models to simulate soybean aphid population dynamics over a growing season with a wide array of stressors, including droughts and floods. The project received a USDA grant earlier this year and is in collaboration with entomologists at Ohio State University.

Expert offers tips for combating the invasive spotted lanternfly

Virginia’s most infamous hitchhiker is on the move again: the spotted lanternfly. These insects colonize quickly, disrupt native ecosystems, and potentially cause problems to human health and agriculture. The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the Department of Entomology at Virginia Tech and the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services have partnered to empower the citizens of the commonwealth to take action themselves on these most unwelcome visitors.

Protecting gardens and crops from insects using the ‘smell of fear’

Herbivorous insects are a threat to gardeners’ hard work, and are increasingly resistant to pesticides. Today, scientists report they have bottled the “smell of fear” from predators to repel destructive insects without the need for harsh substances. They will present their results at ACS Fall 2021.

Mosquito-resistant clothing prevents bites in trials

North Carolina State University researchers have created insecticide-free, mosquito-resistant clothing using textile materials they confirmed to be bite-proof in experiments with live mosquitoes. They developed the materials using a computational model of their own design, which describes the biting behavior…

Seeking a treatment for IBS pain in tarantula venom

For patients who have inflammatory bowel syndrome (IBS), the condition is literally a pain in the gut. Chronic — or long-term — abdominal pain is common, and there are currently no effective treatment options for this debilitating symptom. In a…

New beetle species discovered and named after iconic sci-fi heroines

The original Star Trek television series took place in a future when space is the final frontier, but humanity hasn’t reached that point quite yet. As researchers like Michigan State University entomologists Sarah Smith and Anthony Cognato are reminding us, there’s still plenty to discover right here on Earth.
Working in Central and South America, the duo discovered more than three dozen species of ambrosia beetles — beetles that eat ambrosia fungus — previously unknown to science. Smith and Cognato described these new species on June 16 in the journal ZooKeys.

First Report of Dorsal Navigation in a Flying Insect

People–who get lost easily in the extraordinary darkness of a tropical forest–have much to learn from a bee that can find its way home in conditions 10 times dimmer than starlight. Researchers at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute’s (STRI) research…

Honeybees’ hairy abdomens show how to save energy, reduce wear on materials

Watching honeybees buzz among flowers, it’s easy to see how the expression “busy as a bee” arose. One of many movements a bee’s body makes is the repetitive curving and straightening of its abdomen. Now, researchers reporting in ACS Applied…

Fruit fly links sleep problems in autism to glial cells, blood-brain-barrier and serotonin

Bad sleep causes severe health issues and affects our ability to concentrate, memorize, and cope with challenging situations. Individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and intellectual disability, frequently suffer from sleep problems. However, little is known about their underlying…

Beneficial arthropods find winter sanctuary in uncultivated field edges, study finds

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Many species of ground-dwelling beetles, ladybugs, hoverflies, damsel bugs, spiders and parasitic wasps kill and eat pest species that routinely plague farmers, including aphids and corn rootworm larvae and adults. But the beneficial arthropods that live in…