Got Spotted Lanternfly Eggs on Your Tree? Send ‘Em Through the Wood Chipper
The invasive spotted lanternfly often lays its eggs on tree limbs and trunks. A new study finds that putting infested wood through a wood chipper effectively destroys spotted lanternfly egg masses, and researchers recommend the practice for reducing the potential spread of the pest.
What Gives This Butterfly Species the Only Blue Wings in its Subtribe?
Males of the butterfly species Mimeresia neavei feature blue, structurally colored wings, the only species in the Mimacraeina subtribe to do so. Researchers in Hungary credit M. neavei's blue wings to a form of coloration found in several butterfly groups but not experimentally examined within Lycaenidae.
Researchers Propose Standardized Naming of Lab-Reared Insect Stocks
Entomologists at the Great Lakes Forestry Centre in Canada have crafted a standardized naming convention for their laboratory insect stocks, and they suggest other similar facilities could adopt the naming format, as well.
Team Develops New Protocol for Embedding Insects in Resin
Insect and arthropod specimens set in clear resin are a valuable tool for teaching entomology both in the classroom and in public outreach. A team at Texas A&M University has developed an efficient, cost-effective process for resin casting and shares the instructions with the entomological community.
Bodycams Can Make for Better Agricultural Pest Management, Too
In a new study at the University of Arizona, researchers used body-mounted cameras to evaluate the efficiency of two insect pest sampling techniques—a sweepnet and a vacuum—in a cotton field. The perspective offered new insights into how such methods can be evaluated and could help growers and integrated pest management professionals further fine-tune their sampling techniques.
Explorer or Wallflower? Study Shines Light on Cockroach Personalities
American cockroaches show different individual "personalities" that relate to their fleeing behavior and preference for venturing into open spaces or remaining close to walls or other objects. A new study suggests these differences could be an evolutionary benefit for their collective fleeing response.
Another Natural Enemy of Invasive Kudzu Bug Arrives in North America
A wasp species native to Asia was discovered in North America for the first time and shows promise as a potential biological control for kudzu bug.
After Emerald Ash Borer, Invertebrates on the Ground Get to Work
What happens in the forest after Emerald Ash Borers kill a tree?
Silkworm: The Underappreciated Life Science Model Organism
The silkworm (Bombyx mori) is a unique economic insect, and it also offers promise as a model organism for life-science research.
Predicting Shifts in the Range of Invasive Insect Species in the Face of Climate Change
By John P. Roche As average temperatures rise globally, the ranges of many species will be affected. Climate-induced shifts in the ranges of invasive species will be particularly important because […]
The Microscopic Spines That Many Bee Species Use to Hatch
Perhaps you’ve seen the 2015 video from photographer Anand Varma (and shared again last week via National Geographic), a time-lapse of bee larvae hatching and growing in their cells: Watch: […]
How Flashy Wings, UV Light, and Seasons All Play a Role in One Butterfly Species’ Mating Rituals
By Edward Ricciuti Males of an African butterfly, with the improbable nickname of “squinting bush brown,” are the Lepidopteran version of chick magnets—if their generation of caterpillars chills out while […]
What Puts the Blister Into Blister Beetles?
By John P. Roche Blister beetles produce cantharidin, a 10-carbon isoprenoid molecule that is highly bitter and is toxic to most animals. Because cantharidin is so bitter, it discourages predators, […]
Beauveria Endophytes Can Curb Grasshopper Pests
By Andrew Porterfield Grasshopper species, including Dichroplus maculipennis, are common insect pests. They have been known to cause widespread damage to crops such as corn, soybeans, and wheat, by devouring […]
Finally! A Peek at Mysterious Bees in the Rain Forest Treetops
By Leslie Mertz Adam Smith, Ph.D., has been studying a certain group of very unusual bees in Panama for 15 years, but he had never actually been able to witness […]
Horn Fly Biocontrol: In Search of Faster Fungus
By Ed Ricciuti Soon after silkworm eggs were smuggled out of China in the 12th Century, northern Italy and France emerged as centers of silk production, an industry almost brought […]