When Forest Fires Flare, Woodboring Beetles Rush In
Woodboring beetles make good food for woodpeckers, and researchers studying how forest fires affect bird populations have studied the patterns of woodboring-beetle colonization of forests after fires. Their findings offer clues and raise new questions about the impact of fires on forest ecosystems, in a time of increased fire activity and longer fire seasons.
So Many Shot Hole Borers: New Research Charts Four Nearly Identical Species
Tiny beetles once known as tea shot hole borers are actually a group of four distinct species that appear almost exactly the same to even the trained eye. In a new study, researchers combine both physical measurements and molecular genetics to better define the members of the Euwallacea fornicatus cryptic species complex.
Domestic Sea Trade Aids Wood-Boring Beetles’ Range Expansion
A study by entomologists in Italy found that the abundance of bark- and wood-boring beetles outside their native range but still within the same country is correlated with levels of trade at nearby sea ports, suggesting domestic sea transportation plays a role in insects' intra-country range expansion.