In the Blink of a Fly: Flies’ Upside-Down Landings Inspire Robot Designs
Research at Penn State University reveals the intricate flips and twists that a fly performs to execute an inverted landing. Understanding the mechanics of the motion could help engineers design robotic fliers that land upside down, too.
Integrated Pest Management Pays for Midwestern Watermelon Growers
Entomologists at Purdue University have developed a reliable and cost-effective scouting technique for striped cucumber beetle (Acalymma vittatum) in watermelon fields. Researchers working with watermelon growers say the method could significantly reduce the unnecessary use of insecticides to manage the pest.
Research Confirms First Bed Bug Infestation in Costa Rica in Over 20 Years
A bed bug infestation hadn't been seen in Costa Rica since the late 1990s—until now. Researchers at the University of Costa Rica have confirmed that specimens collected from a home near San Jose in 2017 are indeed bed bugs and, surprisingly, of the temperate-zone species Cimex lectularius and not the tropical bed bug, Cimex hemipterus.
More Than Wheat to Eat: New Zealand’s Wheat Bug Has a Taste for Brassicas, Too
The wheat bug Nysius huttoni is a significant pest of wheat and cereal crops as well as a variety of brassica plants, and it is widely distributed in New Zealand. In a new profile in the Journal of Integrated Pest Management, two New Zealand researchers offer guidance on IPM practices for managing the wheat bug while minimizing potential nontarget impacts.
Advanced Morphology Techniques Reveal Tobacco Hornworm’s Secrets
Though studied for decades as a model organism, the tobacco hornworm's lack of silk production has never been thoroughly researched, until now. A team of researchers combining high-tech microscopic imaging with genomic techniques have captured in new detail the caterpillar's first instar silk-producing anatomy and subsequent loss of that capability as it molts to later instars.
Rising Temperatures Could Stunt Growth, Threaten Survival of Common Damselfly
In the wetlands of the southern plains of the United States, the damselfly Enallagma civile thrives, but a new study shows rising temperatures could affect the growth, development, and survival of the species in the region.
CRISPR Cuts Through Layers of Butterfly Wing-Pattern Evolution
Researchers used CRISPR to cut out major wing patterning genes in Heliconius butterflies and discovered there's more than one pathway to rewind evolutionary time in butterfly co-mimics.
How Drones Can Use Multispectral Imagery to Fight Pests
A new study shows how stress to soybean crops caused by the soybean aphid can be detected remotely by drone-based multispectral imagery.
Some Infected Mosquitoes Found to Be Less Responsive to Repellents
A new meta-analysis points to opportunities for future research to improve the effectiveness of mosquito repellents.
Wild Pollinators Get the Job Done
Wild pollinators have the potential to play a bigger part in pollinating specialty crops, according to a new study.
Battling Bed Bugs and German Cockroaches Requires Cooperation and Continuous Integrated Pest Management Efforts
A new paper shows the benefits of building-wide IPM for reducing indoor pests in low-income, multi-family housing.
Some Pollinators Swipe Right on Annual Ornamental Flowers
Floral features and environmental context influence generalist pollinators’ attraction to annual ornamental plants, which could help balance the needs of humans and pollinators.
“Natural” Oil Mosquito Repellents May Fend Off Mosquitoes—Briefly
A recent Journal of Medical Entomology study investigates the ability of essential oils to repel mosquitoes.
Electropenetrography Helps Researcher Break Down Mosquito Bites
A recent study used electropenetrography to quantify mosquito feeding behavior. The study’s lead author sees great potential for other insect scientists to apply this method in their own work.
New Collection Spotlights Current Techniques in Morphology
A new collection of research spotlights emerging new technologies and research methods revolutionizing the study of morphology.
Don’t Get Too Attached: New Research on Grace Period for Tick-Borne Spotted Fevers
A recent study finds that Rocky Mountain spotted fever may be transmitted almost immediately following a bite by an infected American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis) with little or no grace period—a stark contrast to what researchers have thought for almost a century.