Meet the Fungus That Slows the Spread of an Invasive Moth
One of the best tools for forest entomologists to manage outbreaks of the moth Lymantria dispar is a fungus, native to Japan, that was discovered in the U.S. in 1989. Entomophaga maimaiga can be spread via soil containing its spores or infected L. dispar larvae.
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.
This Old Bee House: Study Deems Hive Boxes Drafty, Inefficient
The classic wooden hive box used by beekeepers worldwide, first designed in the 1800s, is prone to temperature swings, a new study shows. That's bad news for the honey bees inside, who must expend energy to maintain their favored internal hive temperature.
Drought-Tolerant, Aphid-Hungry Lacewing Species Arrives in Americas
Sometimes, an invasive species is a good thing. The discovery of a species of lacewing, Chrysoperla zastrowi, established in arid regions of the U.S. and Central America offers potential for biological control of aphids, mites, and other crop pests in those locales.