Buzzing Bee-haviors: Cooperativity in Insects
Researchers continue to dissect the complex cooperative behaviors that allow bees to have successful colonies. Continue reading Buzzing Bee-haviors: Cooperativity in Insects
Tag: Insects
The Cat’s Out of the Bag! The biological reason why cats can’t get enough of catnip
by Whitney Liebermanfigures by Allie Elchert If you’re a feline enthusiast, you’ve almost certainly noticed the unusual behavior of cats in the presence of catnip. This plant, a member of the mint family, can be purchased at your local pet store or grown in your backyard. A sprinkle of catnip sends most cats into a frenzy characterized by behaviors such as chewing, rolling, and head-rubbing. … Continue reading The Cat’s Out of the Bag! The biological reason why cats can’t get enough of catnip
Rainfall in Africa Drives Butterfly Populations in Europe
Rainfall in Africa drives the growth of plants that allow painted lady butterflies to make their flight to Europe and back each year. Continue reading Rainfall in Africa Drives Butterfly Populations in Europe
Large Bumblebees Remember the High Sugar Flowers
Large bumblebees remember flowers with high sugar nectar better, while small bumblebees remember the locations of all flowers equally. Continue reading Large Bumblebees Remember the High Sugar Flowers
Robot Swarms Communicate with Artificial Pheromones
Researchers implemented an artificial pheromone system to allow robots to communicate within a swarm. Continue reading Robot Swarms Communicate with Artificial Pheromones
Who knew? Insecticides negatively impact ant colonies, too!
Ant colonies exposed to certain insecticides become smaller and weaker after a year. Are they another casualty in the war against crop-damaging pests.? Continue reading Who knew? Insecticides negatively impact ant colonies, too!
Plant Viruses: An oft-forgotten threat to food security
by Fernanda Ferreira figures by Shannon McArdel Semper augustus was once the most coveted flower in Holland . The Dutch were used to single-hued tulips, collectively called Couleren, but Semper augustus was something else. With its splashes of red on white, this bi-colored or variegated tulip became the symbol of tulipomania, a brief period during the Dutch Golden Age when a single tulip bulb could … Continue reading Plant Viruses: An oft-forgotten threat to food security
Insect Zoopharmacognosy: Finding medicine where you least expect it
by Fernanda Ferreira figures by Krissy Lyon The young, scaly creature bursts from the torso of its doomed host in a mix of guts and blood and stares blinkingly at its new environment. For most people the sentence above describes a famous scene from Ridley Scott’s Alien, but for many insects it’s a daily reality. The inspiration for H.R. Giger’s nightmarish alien comes from one … Continue reading Insect Zoopharmacognosy: Finding medicine where you least expect it