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UrduKeeping queen bees chilled in indoor refrigeration units can make the practice of “queen banking” — storing excess queens in the spring to supplement hives in the fall — more stable and less labor-intensive, a Washington State University study found.
Tag: Entomology
Newly discovered scorpionfly genus with bizarre appearance
Zoologist Professor Rainer Willmann, former Director of the Zoological Museum at the University of Göttingen, has described and classified previously unknown species of scorpionflies from Nepal.
Mapping Lyme disease out west
Tick bites transmit Lyme disease. But even knowing where these ticks live doesn’t necessarily mean you can predict the disease in humans.
Beetles rely on unique ‘back pockets’ to keep bacterial symbionts safe during metamorphosis
Beetles of the genus Lagria need a little help from their bacterial friends throughout their immature life stages. But keeping them in the same spot throughout life isn’t feasible.
Scientists Fail to Locate Once-Common CA Bumble Bees
Several species of California bumble bees have gone missing in the first statewide census of the fuzzy pollinators in 40 years. If they can be found, a recent court ruling could help save them.
After years of concern, monarch butterflies are doing just fine, thank you
Scientists have been warning for quite some time that monarch butterflies were headed for extinction. But to misquote Mark Twain, rumors of their demise were greatly exaggerated. A new study found that growth in the summer population has compensated for losses during the winter.
Trigonopterus corona, the new species of tiny beetle named after the coronavirus
Many curious animals can be found on the Indonesian Island of Sulawesi – such as the deer-hog and the midget buffalo.
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.
Study Shows Common Insecticide Is Harmful in Any Amount
A new UC Riverside study shows that a type of insecticide made for commercial plant nurseries is harmful to a typical bee even when applied well below the label rate.
New alpine moth solves a 180-year-old mystery
Butterflies and moths (order Lepidoptera) are one of the most diverse animal groups. To date, scientists have found as many as 5,000 species from the Alps alone. Having been a place of intensive research interest for 250 years, it is…
Researcher’s work with flies could be birth control boon
New testing technique could quickly find new ways to suppress ovulation with few side effects.
How a butterfly tree becomes a web
Evolution is often portrayed as a tree, with new species branching off from existing lineages, never again to meet. The truth however is often much messier. In the case of adaptive radiation, in which species diversify rapidly to fill different…
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…
Crystal clear: Lepidopterans have many ways of being transparent
Butterflies and moths have beautiful wings: the bright flare of an orange monarch, the vivid stripes of a swallowtail, the luminous green of a Luna moth. But some butterflies flutter on even more dramatic wings: parts of their wing, or…
A UOC team develops a neural network to identify tiger mosquitoes
UOC researchers develop a method that can be contribute to investigate and control disease-transmitting tiger mosquitoes
Better-placed rodent traps more effectively prevent food contamination
ITHACA, N.Y. – Placing rodent traps and bait stations based on rat and mouse behavior could protect the food supply more effectively than the current standard of placing them set distances apart, according to new research from Cornell University. Rodents…
Malaria and dengue predicted to affect billions more people
New modelling study reinforces the importance of reducing emissions and increasing surveillance in potential ‘hotspot’ areas
The evolution of vinegar flies is based on the variation of male sex pheromones
Max Planck researchers decipher the chemical language underlying mating in 99 species of the genus Drosophila
More filling? Tastes great? How flies, and maybe people, choose their food
Flies have discriminating taste. Like a gourmet perusing a menu, they spend much of their time seeking sweet nutritious calories and avoiding bitter, potentially toxic food. But what happens in their brains when they make these food choices? Yale researchers…
Striking a balance: Trade-offs shape flower diversity
An international research team led by a researcher from the University of Tsukuba proposes that catering to different visitors has influenced flower evolution
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…
A biological blueprint for tough color
The unique mechanical and optical properties found in the exoskeleton of a humble Asian beetle has the potential to offer a fascinating new insight into how to develop new, effective bio-inspired technologies. Pioneering new research by a team of international…
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.
Stoneflies: Youth influences adulthood
Evolutionary biologists at the University of Bonn scan 219 species in different particle accelerators
Glyphosate pesticides persist for years in wild plants and cause flower infertility
Researchers show for first time that commonly used herbicides can persist within wild forest plants for years, reducing fertility long-term and potentially also impacting pollinators
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…
Small streams in agricultural ecosystems are heavily polluted with pesticides
The environmental risks of pesticides need to be revised
From symmetry to asymmetry: The two sides of life
Researchers at Osaka University use innovative imaging techniques to dynamically demonstrate that symmetric, collective alignment of cell nuclei influences left-right asymmetric development in the midgut of the fruit fly embryo
Rarest bee genus in North America is not so rare after all
June 15, 2021 – Canadian researchers have discovered that a bee thought to be one of the rarest in the world, as the only representative of its genus, is no more than an unusual specimen of a widespread species. Scientists…
Study effects paradigm shift in the understanding of how red rot attacks sugarcane
Researchers at the University of São Paulo discover that the fungus Fusarium verticillioides uses volatile compounds to manipulate insects and plants, promoting its own dissemination
As climates change, prepare for more mosquitoes in winter, new study shows
Mosquitoes can adjust to rapid changes in temperature, indicating that mosquitoes normally dormant during winter may become active year-round
How butterflies make transparent wings: MBL scientists see the invisible
WOODS HOLE, Mass. — Many animals have evolved camouflage tactics for self-defense, but some butterflies and moths have taken it even further: They’ve developed transparent wings, making them almost invisible to predators. A team led by Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL)…
Butterflies and moths have difficulty adjusting to a rapidly changing climate
Climate change exerts great pressure for change on species and biodiversity. A recent study conducted by the University of Helsinki and the Finnish Environment Institute indicates that the few moth and butterfly species (Lepidoptera) capable of adjusting to a changing…
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…
Acoustical evolution increases battle between predator, prey
Moth wing structure, composition absorb bat echolocation calls
Monarchs raised in captivity can orient themselves for migration, U of G study reveals
While captive rearing may cause temporary disorientation, researchers found if Monarchs are given time in the wild to calibrate their internal compasses they can fly in the proper direction
The genetic structures of closely related dragonflies in Yaeyama and Taiwan islands
The Amami, Okinawa region of Japan may be designated a World Heritage Site in July of 2021 based on the recent recommendation from the IUCN. The Iriomote wild cat is a symbolic species of the region, having evolved independently on…
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…
Solar energy and pollinator conservation: A path for real impact?
Entomologists say the pairing has promise, but standards will ensure it’s more than just buzz
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…
Researchers make first-ever discovery of Zika virus RNA in free-ranging African bats
A team of Colorado State University scientists, led by veterinary postdoctoral fellow Dr. Anna Fagre, has detected Zika virus RNA in free-ranging African bats. RNA, or ribonucleic acid, is a molecule that plays a central role in the function of…
Spiders can sniff out and avoid killer ants, SFU study finds
Spiders avoid building webs near European fire ants, their natural predators, by sensing the chemicals they give off in the environment, Simon Fraser University researchers have found. The findings, published recently in Royal Society Open Science , give us a…
How best to focus efforts on classifying new species to prevent their extinction?
The return-on-investment approach found 24 Australian lizard and snake species needing protection
Climate change makes West Nile virus outbreaks ‘plausible’ in UK
Risk of mosquito-borne pathogen spreading to the country will increase as temperatures rise, say scientists
Development anomalies recorded for the first time in a rare tiger moth
The Menetries’ tiger moth (Arctia menetriesii) is one of the rarest and most poorly studied Palaearctic moth species. Even though its adult individuals are large and brightly coloured, they are difficult to spot, because they aren’t attracted to light, they’re…
Fungus fights mites that harm honey bees
New fungus strain could provide a chemical-free method to help honey bees
eDNA analysis could contribute towards more effective pest control
Detecting environmental DNA of invasive ant species in soil samples
New research deepens mystery about evolution of bees’ social behavior
Largest-ever analysis of bees’ morphological diversity paints complicated picture as to whether complex social behavior developed once or multiple times in separate evolutionary branches
Dive bombing killer flies are so fast they lose steering control
Killer flies can reach accelerations of over 3g when aerial diving to catch their prey – but at such high speeds they often miss because they can’t correct their course. These are the findings of a study by researchers at…
Infertility poses major threat to biodiversity during climate change, study warns
A new study by University of Liverpool ecologists warns that heat-induced male infertility will see some species succumb to the effects of climate change earlier than thought. Currently, scientists are trying to predict where species will be lost due to…