A pheromone released by migratory locusts seems to encourage them to swarm, so placing it on sticky traps that attract the insects could stop them from devastating crops Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2251660-a-chemical-that-encourages-locusts-to-swarm-could-also-help-stop-them/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home…
Tag: insects
‘Zombie Cicadas’ Are Under the Influence of a Psychedelic, Mind-controlling Fungus
Slashdot reader quonset shares CNN’s report on “zombie cicadas” under the influence of “a psychedelic fungus” called Massospora containing the chemicals found in hallucinogenic mushrooms (citing a new study published in PLOS Pathogens).
After infecting its host, the fungus results in “a disturbing display of B-horror movie proportions,” West Virginia University said in a press release. First Massospora spores eat away at…
Germany Plans To Dim Lights At Night To Save Insects
An anonymous reader quotes a report from MSN: In a draft law seen by AFP, the country’s environment ministry has drawn up a number of new measures to protect insects, ranging from partially outlawing spotlights to increased protection of natural habitats. “Insects play an important role in the ecosystem…but in Germany, their numbers and their diversity has severely declined in recent…
Worm Farm Kit: Essential Supplies Every Beginner Should Have
Preparing a worm farm kit is easy. Plus, the materials you need are also very affordable. To help you get you started, here are the materials that you need to prepare. RELATED: How To Start Your Own Worm Composting Bin Worm Farm Kit For Beginners What is Worm Farming? Worm farming, or vermicomposting, is the process…Continue Reading
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Tiny mammals once scavenged meat from giant dinosaur carcasses
The first mammals probably mostly ate insects, but bite marks on a bone fragment suggest they occasionally scavenged meat from giant dinosaur carcasses Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2249977-tiny-mammals-once-scavenged-meat-from-giant-dinosaur-carcasses/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home…
Locust Swarms Are Getting So Big That We Need Radar To Track Them
The desert locust upsurge is yet another of 2020’s horrors. From a report: In June, remote sensing analyst Raj Bhagat noticed a strange signal on India’s weather radar. It looked like a small band of rain near Delhi, moving southwest, but Bhagat was convinced it was a locust swarm. “People began to report it,” he says, referring to sightings on the…
Western Bumblebee Population Drops Up To 93% Over the Last 20 Years
The western bumblebee is one of around 30 bumblebee species in the western U.S. and Canada. Now a federal review “unveils an alarming trend for the western bumblebee population, which has seen its numbers dwindle by as much as 93% in the last two decades,” reports the Associated Press: The find by the U.S. Geological Survey will help inform a species…
Spiderwebs gather DNA that can help us monitor insects in forests
Spiders may build their webs to catch prey, but trials in Slovenian forests show they also grab onto DNA, which can help us monitor biodiversity in a less invasive manner Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2249691-spiderwebs-gather-dna-that-can-help-us-monitor-insects-in-forests/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home…
Why fireflies light up
A firefly’s familiar glow is caused by a chemical reaction. Explanation here, plus many wonderful firefly photos. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/bugs-firefly-light…
Stuck At Home, Scientists Discover 9 New Insect Species
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Wired: When the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County shut down due to the pandemic in mid-March, Lisa Gonzalez headed home with the expectation that she would be back in a few weeks. But once it became clear that she wouldn’t get back anytime soon, Gonzalez, the museum’s assistant entomology collection manager, converted…