High Temperatures From Climate Change Threaten the Survival of Insects
Insects have difficulties handling the higher temperatures brought on by climate change, and might risk overheating. The ability to reproduce is also strongly affected by…
Insect News
Study of More Than 1,400 Protein-Coding Genes Resolves Long Standing Mystery in the Evolution of Insects
A study of more than 1,400 protein-coding genes of fleas has resolved one of the longest standing mysteries in the evolution of insects, reordering their…
Scientists’ Warning to Humanity on Insect Extinctions – Vital to Environment
The tiniest creatures on the planet are vital to their environment … so always look on the small side of life. Some of the tiniest…
Hundreds of New Viruses Discovered in Insects As Scientists Work to Prevent New Epidemics Like Zika
New viruses that cause diseases often come from animals. Well-known examples of this are the Zika virus transmitted by mosquitoes, bird flu viruses, as well…
Fossils Reveal New Insight on Mesozoic Pollinating Insects
Insect pollination played an important role in the evolution of angiosperms. Little is known, however, about ancient pollination insects and their niche diversity during the…
New Species of Flea Beetle Discovered, Burumoseria Yuae
Researchers detail the discovery of a new species of flea beetle, Burumoseria yuae. Nausea, vomiting, and weakness are but a few of the symptoms one…
A Natural Example of a Functioning Gear Mechanism Discovered in an Insect
Scientists from the University of Cambridge have discovered a natural example of a functioning gear mechanism in an insect. Previously believed to be only man-made,…
The Preservation of Colors in Fossil Insects
By using elevated pressures and temperatures to simulate the effects of burial on structurally colored cuticles of modern beetles, researchers at Yale University show how…
Katydid Ears Have Structures Similar to Mammalian Ones
Katydid ears have evolved components resembling those of human ears, on a smaller scale. This is an example of convergent evolution. The scientists published their…
Aphids Use Rudimentary Sunlight Harvesting Similar to Photosynthesis
Aphids can be born pregnant and males sometimes lack mouths, causing them to die after mating. New work indicates that they might also capture sunlight…
Insects Help Scientists Understand the Predictability of Evolution
A newly published study by Cornell scientists details how they examined insect species that feed on plants containing powerful toxins called cardenolides to better under…
Secreted Peptide Dilp8 Essential to Insect Growth Rate
Two published studies from independent research groups show that Dilp8 is an essential part of normal insect development, slowing growth rate and allowing sufficient time…
Odor Processing Function of Fly Resembles Mammalian Brain
In an effort to better understand why fruit flies are immediately attracted to our food, a team of scientists developed a device, called Flywalk, to…
Insect Protein Inspires New Materials to Treat Vocal Disorders
Superpowers aren’t unheard of in the world of insects. Feats of strength, sound, and leaping ability are all made common by the naturally occurring protein…
Imidacloprid, A Major Factor in Colony Collapse Disorder
A study set to be published in June explains a reason for the worldwide declines in honeybee colonies and the drastic effects these changes could…
Haemaphysalis Flava Hardy Enough to Survive Vacuum and Electron Beam
Haemaphysalis flava, a kind of tick, was observed under the intense rays of an electron scanning microscope and survived the experience. They may have just…
Cicadas Might Have Given Rise to a Form of Batesian Mimicry in Citheronia Azteca
Periodical invasions of cicadas are common across the eastern United States and giant silk moths (Citheronia azteca) might have evolved to resemble cicadas as a…
Rapidly Retreating Glacial Ice Leaves Species Threatened
The rapidly disappearing glaciers are altering more than the physical landscape, as a recent analysis suggests. Species that live in streams and rivers that flow…