In Uganda and neighboring African nations, wild grasshoppers are a delicacy and are commonly harvested for their use as food. A team of researchers has designed a new trap that improves on the traditional model by reducing nontarget bycatch, energy consumption, and use of hazardous materials.
Every invasive tree in the United States was intentionally introduced, and these plants often out-compete native plants while negatively affecting insects and other animals that depend on native species. You can do your part to help insects and protect local ecosystems by choosing native plants in your landscaping plans.
The Asian longhorned beetle, a federally regulated invasive woodboring pest, was recently discovered in South Carolina—hundreds of miles from the nearest known infestation. Federal and state officials are working hard to try to eradicate this pest, and there are many research questions and opportunities associated with this infestation.
Weighty problems like the threat of vector-borne disease require more than just entomological solutions, and students of insect science can be leaders in bringing together research from a variety of fields. One student shares his view on the potential collaborations that students could develop to mitigate the rise of tick-borne disease.
When dung beetles show up at an animal carcass, they're more attracted to the head end than the rear, new research shows, suggesting it may not just be exposed gastrointestinal contents they're after.