What’s That Termite? Artificial Intelligence Might Have the Answer
A team of researchers in Taiwan has developed software driven by machine learning to accurately identify specimens—both soldiers and workers—of four different termite species. Their goal is to enable smartphone app termite ID for pest management pros and adapt the software's use to additional species.
The State of Integrated Pest Management for Spotted-Wing Drosophila
More than a decade after its arrival in the continental U.S., spotted-wing drosophila has spread to many parts of the country. But a decade of research has built a broad knowledge base for a variety of management strategies. A new review in the Journal of Economic Entomology provides an in-depth analysis of the current state of SWD management and promising future directions.
The Promise—and Limits—of Bt Maize to Manage Fall Armyworm in Africa
As fall armyworm continues to threaten food security in Africa, the use of Bt maize offers significant potential to manage the pest. But it will be critical to manage resistance via multi-toxin crop varieties and appropriate use of refuge planting—all in forms accessible to the smallholder farmers that grow nearly all of Africa's maize.
P.M. Pollinators: Study Shines Light on Nocturnal Insects’ Role in Apple Production
A study on apple pollination highlights the valuable role that moths and other nocturnal insects play in pollinating crops and other plants.