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Tag: bioprospecting

black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens)

Black Soldier Flies Show Potential as Source of Antimicrobial Compounds

Black soldier flies (Hermetia illucens) live in decomposing, bacteria-rich organic material, which demands a potent immune system. A study by researchers in Peru and France has isolated four peptides from larvae of the black soldier fly that display antibacterial properties, suggesting further “bioprospecting” research into black soldier flies could one day generate useful new antibacterial compounds for medical use.
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European paper wasp - Polistes dominula

You Can Thank Insects for Many Human Inventions

Even in this digital age, we continue to extract ideas and materials from insects and their relatives. However, the challenge of today may be to avoid a strictly utilitarian view of other organisms, whereby a species is expendable if it cannot demonstrate economic value that can be measured in dollars.