Field Borders Provide Winter Refuge for Beneficial Predators and Parasitoids
In a study on organic farms, researchers in Illinois find that field borders with a mix of grasses and flowering plants provide important winter habitat for arthropods that like to eat or parasitize crop pests, allowing these natural enemies to get an early start on emerging pests in the spring.
Superworms: The Bigger, Brawnier, Hungrier Cousins of Yellow Mealworms
Larvae of the darkling beetle species Zophobas morio have earned the nickname "superworms" for their larger size and increased nutritional potential as food and feed compared to yellow mealworms. And yet less research and regulatory consideration has focused on Z. morio, something a pair of researchers in Greece hope to change.
Need to Feed Mosquitoes? Head for the Freezer Aisle
In search of a simple, cost-effective way to maintain laboratory mosquito colonies, biologists at a mosquito control district in Florida have turned to food-grade frozen animal blood found at specialty grocery stores. They share the success of their new method for other cash-strapped mosquito-management operations in the open-access Journal of Insect Science.
Diminutive Dragonfly Makes New Appearance in Michigan
Ophiogomphus howei, the smallest dragonfly of its genus and known to inhabit ranges primarily in Appalachia and Wisconsin in the United States, has been discovered by Odonata enthusiasts in southern Michigan, in a setting that may prompt a rethink of the species' habitat preferences.