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Tag: Invasive species

Another Non-Native Mosquito Species Adds to Growing List in Florida

Mosquito researchers in Florida report the presence in the state of Culex lactator, a species previously known from Central and South America. The arrival adds to the growing list of non-native mosquito species finding their way into Florida—a worrying trend for public-health entomologists.

A woman poses in front of a large sign in an outdoor plaza in front of a building. The sign is five letters, about eight feet tall, reading "COP15". The C is green, the O is red, the P is blue, and the 15 are cream colored. On the bottom of the sign is a smaller label that says "Montreal."

An Entomologist’s Guide to the Convention on Biological Diversity

Entomologist Emily Sandall, Ph.D., reports her perspectives from attending the most recent meeting of the parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. It's a critical international effort to preserve Earth's biodiversity, but insects at times take a backseat to other fauna in the negotiations.

a fuzzy bee, yellowish-brown in color, perches vertically on a grass blade next to the edge of a piece of corrugated plastic sheet, which is blue-ish green in color.

Is This Non-Native Mason Bee an Invasive Species?

What makes a non-native species "invasive"? And can a typically beneficial insect like a bee be deemed a threat to native species? Researchers explore these questions in a new review of the expansion of the non-native mason bee Osmia taurus since its U.S. arrival in 2002 and its effects on closely related native species.

side-by-side image of two spiders. at left, a brown widow, hanging vertically in webbing, showing its underside toward the viewer. the spider is dark brown to black in color, with an bright orange blotch on the bottom of its abdomen. at right is a black widow spider, hanging vertically on a stick, viewed from the side. the spider is dark black in color with a bright red splotch visible on the underside of its abdomen.

Brown Widow Spiders’ Aggression Likely Driver of Black Widow Decline

Black widow spiders have earned a fearsome reputation for their venomous bite. But in parts of the southern U.S. these spiders have much to fear themselves—from spider relatives who really don't like their company. A new study shows that brown widow spiders, of a species in the same genus, have a striking propensity to seek out and kill nearby black widows.