“Weird Things” Seen in X-Ray Images Reveal Insects’ Physiological Responses to Gravity [Video]
Imagine you are flipped upside down and standing on your head. After a few seconds, you would feel pressure in your head due to an…
Entomology
Scientists Just Discovered How Beetle ‘Weapons’ Grow
Specific insulin-like peptide regulates how beetle ‘weapons’ grow, revealing how larval nutrition leads to differently sized mandibles in broad-horned flour beetles. A scientist from Tokyo…
Ancient Wasp-Mimicking Fly Discovered – Named After PSY’s ‘Gangnam Style’
A newly discovered species of ancient wasp-mimicking flies was named Buccinatormyia gangnami, after a famous hit by a South Korean singer PSY. It was described…
This Ancient “Giant Spider” Fossil Surprised Paleontologists – Detective Work Revealed a Hoax
A ‘Jackalope’ of an Ancient Spider Fossil Deemed a Hoax Earlier this year, a remarkable new fossil specimen was unearthed in the Lower Cretaceous Yixian…
Mowing Lawns Less Increases Biodiversity, Reduces Pests and Saves Money
The researchers combined data across North America and Europe using a meta-analysis, a way of aggregating results from multiple studies to increase statistical strength. They…
Gardens Can Be Havens for Soil Animals in Towns and Cities
Soil animal days 2019: Fewer ants but more millipedes, woodlice still on top The fifth edition of the Dutch Soil Animal Days saw earthworms almost…
Suction Cups That Don’t Fall Off – Insects in Torrential Rivers Inspire Engineering Solutions
The aquatic larvae of the net-winged midge have the unique ability to move around at ease on rocks in torrential rivers using super-strong suction organs….
Photos Show Evidence of Life on Mars: Insect- and Reptile-Like Fossils & Living Creatures
[Update 11/29/19: Ohio University has withdrawn this article.] Analysis of images from Mars rovers shows insect- and reptile-like fossils, creatures according to Ohio University entomologist….
Recently Discovered Parasitic Wasp Is Enemy of Serious Alien Pest in North America
While a mention of the British movie and music star is missing in its description, the species — named Idris elba — might prove to…
In a Twist of Fate, Ant Expert Discovers Distinct New Species in His Own Backyard
Jack Longino is a global ant expert and has traveled the world documenting and discovering ant species. But for his latest discovery, he didn’t need…
Ants the Size of Lions: Augmented Ants [Video]
The first app of its kind allows users to interact with biodiversity research through augmented reality. An ant the size of a lion isn’t as…
New Fossil Discovery Pushes Back Evidence of Insect Pollination to a Time When Pterodactyls Still Roamed the Skies
A new study co-led by researchers in the U.S. and China has pushed back the first-known physical evidence of insect flower pollination to 99 million…
Invasion of Zombie Ants in Florida – Fungal Infection Takes Over the Ants’ Brains
Biology Assistant Professor Charissa de Bekker is working to figure out how a fungus is manipulating and killing ants. A zombie invasion is happening in…
Helpful Insects and Their Response to Agricultural Landscape Changes
We might not notice them, but the crops farmers grow are protected by scores of tiny invertebrate bodyguards. Naturally occurring arthropods like spiders and lady…
Cannibal Wood Ants Were Stuck in a Polish Nuclear Weapons Bunker – Here’s What Happened
In a recent development of the story about wood ants trapped in a post-Soviet nuclear weapons bunker in Poland, scientists, led by Professor Wojciech Czechowski,…
Species Moving in Response to Climate Change, but Many Have Nowhere to Go
There’s no place like home: Many insects moving north in response to climate change find they have nowhere to go in Britain’s intensively managed landscapes,…
Meet the ‘Mold Pigs,’ a Newly Discovered Invertebrate From 30 Million Years Ago
Fossils preserved in Dominican amber reveal a new family, genus and species of microinvertebrate from the mid-Tertiary period, a discovery that shows unique lineages of…
Scientists Discover Why Climate Change Is Threatening Some British Butterflies
Scientists have discovered why climate change may be contributing to the decline of some British butterflies and moths, such as Silver-studded Blue and High Brown…