All articles tagged with #entomology
Wisconsin is seeing a northward shift in Japanese beetle activity, with southern areas quieter and northern hotspots along Highway 29 reporting more beetle presence; experts expect the trend to continue, potentially aided by milder winters, while natural enemies like a native disease and the Winsome fly, plus citizen-science tracking via iNaturalist, may help curb populations.
An expedition to Angola’s Lisima plateau documented extraordinary biodiversity: 103 dragonfly/damselfly species (163 for the region), 34 species new to Lisima and six new to Angola, eight undescribed species, and about 1,000+ butterflies and moths, plus 47 grasshoppers/katydids/crickets and other taxa. The Cassai Life Atlas findings by The Wilderness Project fill a major knowledge gap and will guide conservation and land-use decisions as mining and habitat loss threaten the area. The team, including 16 specialists, aims to study 1.2 million square kilometres of African freshwater wilderness by 2035.
A Royal Society B study tested 40 male and 40 female house crickets (Acheta domesticus) by applying a heat stimulus to an antenna and found they groomed the heated area significantly longer than controls, indicating pain-like responses beyond a reflex. With crickets being the world’s most farmed insect (about 370 billion annually), this suggests insects may have subjective experiences and underscores the need for welfare protections as giant-scale farming continues and concerns about animal suffering grow.
Researchers exposed fruit flies to 4–13G hypergravity in a centrifuge. Initial hyperactivity at moderate Gs gave way to reduced activity at higher Gs, but both groups eventually returned to normal behavior, and a multi‑generational test showed some populations thriving for 10 generations, suggesting gravity directly shapes energy use and movement and highlighting the resilience of biological systems with implications for future space exploration.
A Guardian photo essay by Christer Björkman spotlights Swedish scientists, each with a personal object or book, as they explore life from tiny insects to hairy plants. The portraits span entomology, mycology, palaeontology and taxonomy, showcasing researchers continuing Linnaeus’s legacy and highlighting biodiversity and the extinction crisis through a visual record of work across Swedish institutions.
A new study challenges the long-held view that high atmospheric oxygen powered giant prehistoric insects like griffinflies, showing that flying insects’ internal tracheal systems can supply oxygen to flight muscles, which could allow large sizes even today; if confirmed, this suggests oxygen levels were not the limiting factor, though researchers note other causes may explain why such giants disappeared.
Researchers in French Guiana describe a new termite species, Cryptotermes mobydicki, found eight meters up in the rainforest canopy. Its soldiers have an unusually long, forward-extending head that hides the jaws, giving a whale-like profile reminiscent of Moby-Dick. Genetic analysis links it to Caribbean populations (Colombia, Trinidad, Dominican Republic), suggesting an ancestral lineage across tropical America. The species lives in dead canopy wood and helps decompose it, posing no threat to human structures. The description was published in ZooKeys by Rudolf Scheffrahn and colleagues.
UC Riverside researchers report bed bugs actively avoid moisture and wet surfaces, likely because water can block their respiratory openings. Experiments using damp paper and water-covered areas showed bed bugs of all ages and both sexes retreat from moisture, with the youngest most sensitive. The finding could affect moisture-based pest-control strategies, and while a bath can remove bugs on a person, treating a room infestation still requires established methods.
UC Riverside researchers found bed bugs strongly avoid wet surfaces, with nymphs retreating from water even more quickly than adults; this water aversion could influence how liquid-based pest-control methods are applied and may guide new strategies for eradicating these pests.
The 2025 Nikon Small World photomicrography competition, celebrating its 51st year, awarded first place to Zhang You for a detailed image of a rice weevil on rice, highlighting the blend of artistry and scientific rigor in microscopy.
Mosquitoes have been spotted in Iceland for the first time, likely indicating a recent introduction possibly via ships or containers, despite the country's long-standing mosquito-free status. The discovery raises concerns about climate change and environmental adaptation, although the species found appears well-suited to colder climates. More monitoring is needed to assess their spread.
Three mosquitoes of the species Culiseta annulata were discovered in Iceland by Björn Hjaltason, marking the first confirmed sighting of this species in the country, raising questions about their potential establishment and origin, possibly from nearby shipping areas.
The article highlights award-winning microscopic images from the 2025 Nikon Small World competition, showcasing intricate details of tiny life forms like insects, cells, and microorganisms, emphasizing the importance of understanding and appreciating the complexity of microscopic worlds.
The Texas State Department of Public Health Services is actively studying dangerous mosquitoes to prevent the resurgence of vector-borne diseases like malaria and yellow fever, which are re-emerging in the US as efforts to control these insects have waned.
The article discusses surprising, science-backed methods to prevent mosquito bites beyond common solutions like bug spray and staying indoors, featuring insights from entomologists and environmental health experts, and includes a quiz to test your knowledge of effective tactics.