ScienceDaily: Insect (including Butterfly) News

Parasitic wasps use calcium pump to block fruit fly immunity

Mon, 20 May 2013 16:37:37 EDT

Parasitic wasps switch off the immune systems of fruit flies by draining calcium from the flies' blood cells, a finding that offers new insight into how pathogens break through a host's defenses. Researchers say their findings have uncovered an important component of cellular immunity, one that parasites have learned to take advantage of.

Ant study could help future robot teams work underground

Mon, 20 May 2013 16:32:32 EDT

Future teams of subterranean search and rescue robots may owe their success to the lowly fire ant, a much-despised insect whose painful bites and extensive networks of underground tunnels are all-too-familiar to people living in the southern United States.

Asian lady beetles use biological weapons against their European relatives

Thu, 16 May 2013 14:25:25 EDT

Once introduced for biological pest control, Asian lady beetle populations have been increasing uncontrollably. Scientists have now found the reason for the animal's success. Its body fluid contains microsporidia, fungus-like protozoa that parasitize body cells and can cause immense harm to their host. The Asian lady beetle is obviously resistant to these parasites. However, transferred to native species, microsporidia can be lethal.

Invasive 'crazy ants' are displacing fire ants in areas throughout southeastern U.S.

Thu, 16 May 2013 12:39:39 EDT

Invasive "crazy ants" are displacing fire ants in areas across the southeastern United States, according to researchers at The University of Texas at Austin. It's the latest in a history of ant invasions from the southern hemisphere and may prove to have dramatic effects on the ecosystem of the region.

Moth-inspired nanostructures take the color out of thin films

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:56:56 EDT

Inspired by the structure of moth eyes, researchers have developed nanostructures that limit reflection at the interfaces where two thin films meet, suppressing the "thin-film interference" phenomenon commonly observed in nature. This can potentially improve the efficiency of thin-film solar cells and other optoelectronic devices.

Malaria infected mosquitoes more attracted to human odor than uninfected mosquitoes

Wed, 15 May 2013 17:44:44 EDT

Female mosquitoes infected with malaria parasites are significantly more attracted to human odor than uninfected mosquitoes, according to new research. Scientists will now attempt to find out how malaria parasites manipulate their mosquito hosts.

Evolution shapes new rules for ant behavior, research finds

Wed, 15 May 2013 13:16:16 EDT

Biologist Deborah M. Gordon's decades-long study of collective behavior in harvester ant colonies has provided a rare real-time look at natural selection at work.

No idle chatter: Malaria parasites 'talk' to each other

Wed, 15 May 2013 12:50:50 EDT

Scientists have made the surprise discovery that malaria parasites can 'talk' to each other -- a social behavior to ensure the parasite's survival and improve its chances of being transmitted to other humans. The finding could provide a niche for developing antimalarial drugs and vaccines that prevent or treat the disease by cutting these communication networks.

Flower power fights orchard pests

Tue, 14 May 2013 10:14:14 EDT

Researchers have found they can control one of fruit growers' more severe pests, aphids, with a remarkably benign tool: flowers. The discovery is a boon for organic as well as conventional tree fruit growers. The researchers found that plantings of sweet alyssum attracted a host of spiders and predator bugs that in turn preyed on woolly apple aphids, a pest that growers often control with chemical sprays.

Level of dengue virus needed for transmission defined

Mon, 13 May 2013 15:28:28 EDT

Researchers have identified the dose of dengue virus in human blood that is required to infect mosquitoes when they bite. Mosquitoes are essential for transmitting the virus between people so the findings have important implications for understanding how to slow the spread of the disease.

Global warming trends contribute to spread of West Nile virus to new regions in Europe

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:52:52 EDT

Global warming trends have a significant influence on the spread of West Nile Virus to new regions in Europe and neighboring countries, where the disease wasn’t present before, according to a new study. The study found that rising temperatures have a more considerable contribution than humidity, to the spread of the disease, while the effect of rain was inconclusive.

Less oxygen triggers grasshopper molting, farmers could benefit

Mon, 13 May 2013 09:50:50 EDT

Less oxygen means shorter time between molts, which means shorter life-span, which means fewer hungry grasshoppers. And for farmers, that’s very good news. A recent study offers insight into the relationship between respiratory function and molting that could help farmers save more of their crops.

Using bacteria to stop malaria

Thu, 09 May 2013 14:21:21 EDT

Mosquitoes are deadly efficient disease transmitters. New research however, demonstrates that they also can be part of the solution for preventing diseases such as malaria.

Bacterial infection in mosquitoes renders them immune to malaria parasites

Thu, 09 May 2013 14:20:20 EDT

Scientists have established an inheritable bacterial infection in malaria-transmitting Anopheles mosquitoes that renders them immune to malaria parasites. Specifically, the scientists infected the mosquitoes with Wolbachia, a bacterium common among insects that previously has been shown to prevent malaria-inducing Plasmodium parasites from developing in Anopheles mosquitoes.

Studies generate comprehensive list of genes required by innate system to defend sex cells

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:35:35 EDT

Investigators have published studies revealing many previously unknown components of an innate system that defends sex cells -- the carriers of inheritance across generations -- from the ravages of transposable genetic elements.

How long do insects last?

Wed, 08 May 2013 13:17:17 EDT

Researchers have shown that although insects are made from one of the toughest natural materials, their legs and wings can wear out over time.

World's most extreme hearing animal: The greater wax moth

Wed, 08 May 2013 09:28:28 EDT

Researchers have discovered that the greater wax moth is capable of sensing sound frequencies of up to 300 kHz -- the highest recorded frequency sensitivity of any animal in the natural world.

The more feathers a male sparrow carries to the nest, the more eggs the female will lay

Tue, 07 May 2013 06:08:08 EDT

A new study has found that female sparrows will invest more energy into laying eggs according to the male's ability to fill the nest with feathers which serve to insulate the chicks from the cold and keep them alive.

New fairyflies or mymarid wasp species named after university

Mon, 06 May 2013 18:17:17 EDT

An entomologist discovered a new wasp species in Russia and named it after the university, commonly abbreviated as UCR. A museum researcher had been sorting wasps from the Russian Far East, when he discovered several tiny female fairyflies, or mymarid wasps, 1.1 to 1.2 millimeters in body length. He named the species Gonatocerus ucri.

Flight behavior of hungry malaria mosquitoes analyzed

Fri, 03 May 2013 10:51:51 EDT

Malaria mosquitoes go to work cautiously before landing on human skin and biting. Just before a mosquito lands, it reacts to both odors and heat given off by the human body. Researchers came to this conclusion after studying images made with infrared-sensitive cameras.

Malaria: A vector infecting both apes and humans

Fri, 03 May 2013 09:47:47 EDT

In 2010, a study revealed that the main agent of malaria in humans, called Plasmodium falciparum, arose from the gorilla. Today, the vector which transmitted the parasite from apes to humans has just been identified. Scientists have determined which species of anopheles mosquitoes transfer the disease to apes. Among them is Anopheles moucheti, known for biting humans. Therefore, it appears to be the species which originally infected us through our 'cousins'. And it could do it again today.

Substances in honey increase honey bee detox gene expression

Wed, 01 May 2013 13:20:20 EDT

A new study shows that some components of the nectar and pollen grains bees collect to manufacture food increase expression of detoxification genes that help keep honey bees healthy.

Peculiar life history of Middle American Stenamma ants

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 10:33:33 EDT

A recent revision of the Middle American clade of the ant genus Stenamma provides the description of 40 species, 33 of which are recognized as new to science. The extensive study provides the first thorough examination of the biology and taxonomy of these ants, focusing mainly on the worker caste and describing their peculiar nesting habits.

Just what makes that little old ant… change a flower's nectar content?

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 18:52:52 EDT

Ants play a variety of important roles in many ecosystems. As frequent visitors to flowers, they can benefit plants in their role as pollinators when they forage on sugar-rich nectar. However, a new study reveals that this mutualistic relationship may actually have some hidden costs.

Mammal and bug food co-op in the High Arctic

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:11:11 EDT

Who would have thought that two very different species, a small insect and a furry alpine mammal, would develop a shared food arrangement in the far North?

Tinkerbella nana: A new representative from the world of fairyflies

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 10:30:30 EDT

A new genus and species of fairyfly, Tinkerbella nana (Mymaridae), is described from Costa Rica. It is compared with the related species Kikiki huna Beardsley and Huber, which holds the record for the smallest winged insect. The new genus and species is named after the fairy Tinker Bell in the 1904 play "Peter Pan" by J. M. Barrie.

Malaria parasite protein identified as potential new target for drug treatment

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 08:13:13 EDT

Scientists have discovered how a protein within the malaria parasite is essential to its survival as it develops inside a mosquito. They believe their findings identify this protein as a potential new target for drug treatments to prevent malaria being passed to humans. The researchers found that when this protein – a transporter responsible for controlling the level of calcium inside cells – is absent during the parasite’s sexual reproduction stages inside a mosquito, the parasite dies before developing fully.

71 new parasitoid wasp species discovered from Southeast Asia

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 10:23:23 EDT

A recent study of the parasitoid wasp genus Oxyscelio found a total of 90 species present in Southeast Asia. This includes the astonishing number of 71 newly described wasps from across 16 different nations. The study greatly expands and contributes to the knowledge of this intriguing parasitoid wasp genus.

Ant family tree constructed: Confirms date of evolutionary origin, underscores importance of Neotropics

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 10:12:12 EDT

Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the higher species numbers in the tropics, but these hypotheses have never been tested for the ants, which are one of the most ecologically and numerically dominant groups of animals on the planet. New research is helping answer these questions.

Cocktail of multiple pressures combine to threaten the world's pollinating insects

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 10:11:11 EDT

A new review of insect pollinators of crops and wild plants has concluded they are under threat globally from a cocktail of multiple pressures, and their decline or loss could have profound environmental, human health and economic consequences.

Ocean acidification as a hearing aid for fish?

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 08:00:00 EDT

Scientists report stunning new insight into the potential effects of acidification on the sensory function of larval cobia. The study is the first to use micro-CT technology to examine otoliths while still inside the heads of the larval fish.

Weeding out ineffective biocontrol agents

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 15:44:44 EDT

Biocontrol programs use an invasive plant's natural enemies (insects and pathogens) to reduce its population. Most biocontrol programs combine many different enemies. Some combinations of enemy species can actually end up competing or interfering with each other, instead of attacking the weed.

Love at first sniff: Male moths go by first impressions

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:17:17 EDT

Entomologists now have an explanation for why we see so many hybrid moths in nature. The team closely examined the behavior and the olfactory circuitry of male moths and found an answer in female-produced pheromones.

Catch me if you can: Two new species of moth from the Russian Far East

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 11:44:44 EDT

Showing a range of peculiar habits and difficult to be discovered and collected, Ypsolophid moths present an exciting catch for scientists. Russian entomologists have discovered and described two species of these engaging moths, coming from the southernmost areas of the Russian Far East.

Invasive kudzu bugs may pose greater threat than previously thought

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:49:49 EDT

The invasive kudzu bug has the potential to be a major agricultural pest, causing significant damage to economically important soybean crops. Conventional wisdom has held that the insect pests will be limited to areas in the southern United States, but new research shows that they may be able to expand into other parts of the United States.

Blue tits provide insight into climate change, bird study shows

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:45:45 EDT

Researchers believe that the size of birds’ nests created in response to changing weather patterns may be partly to blame for reproductive failures over the last two years.

'Strikingly similar' brains of human and fly may aid mental health research

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 14:29:29 EDT

Scientists have revealed deep similarities in how the brain regulates behavior in arthropods (such as flies and crabs) and vertebrates (such as fish, mice and humans). The findings shed new light on the evolution of the brain and behavior and may aid understanding of disease mechanisms underlying mental health problems.

Self-medication in animals much more widespread than believed

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 14:27:27 EDT

It's been known for decades that animals such as chimpanzees seek out medicinal herbs to treat their diseases. But in recent years, the list of animal pharmacists has grown much longer, and it now appears that the practice of animal self-medication is a lot more widespread than previously thought, according to ecologists.

Lady flies can decide who will father their young

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 11:01:01 EDT

Female flies choose whose sperm they want based on male mating effort. Females in the animal kingdom have many methods available to them to help bias male paternity. One such process is displayed by Euxesta bilimeki, a species of Ulidiid fly, whose females expel and then consume male ejaculate after copulation.

War on bugs: New research could lead to better bed bug control

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 13:13:13 EDT

Genetic analysis of the tiny but tough bloodsuckers reveals a potential biological target for pest control methods.

Fighting disease from within the mosquito: New techniques to help halt the spread of disease

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 10:39:39 EDT

Scientists have revealed a new technique to introduce disease-blocking bacteria into mosquitoes, with promising results that may halt the spread of diseases such as dengue, yellow fever and potentially malaria.

Genetics of life and death in an evolutionary arms-race

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 21:19:19 EDT

Scientists have found evidence of the genetic basis of the evolutionary arms-race between parasitoids and their aphid hosts.

No map, no problems for monarchs

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 15:29:29 EDT

Monarch butterflies have long been admired for their sense of direction, as they migrate from Canada and the United States to Mexico. According to new findings from a team of scientists, the winged insects fly without a map, and use basic orientation and landmarks to find their way to their wintering sites, thousands of miles away.

Researchers help unlock pine beetle's Pandora's box

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 15:58:58 EDT

A paper detailing the newly created sequencing of the mountain pine beetle's genome will be gold in the hands of scientists trying to stem the beetle's invasion into eastern forests.

Ultrasonic sounds of the rainforest

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 08:25:25 EDT

Research aimed at developing ultrasonic microphones with insect-like sensitivity is to continue in the rainforests of Colombia and Ecuador.

Let me introduce myself -- leafcutter bee Megachile chomskyi from Texas

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 12:24:24 EDT

A new species of leafcutter bee, Megachile chomskyi, is described from Texas, United States. While many other genera within the family chew leaves or petals to build their nests, certain species within Megachile neatly cut them, hence their common name. The new species is named after Professor Noam Chomsky to commemorate his great contributions to the fields of linguistics, humanities and political science.

Bumblebees use logic to find the best flowers

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 12:20:20 EDT

Scientists have discovered why bees copy each other when looking for nectar -- and the answer is remarkably simple.

New system to study trigger of cell death in nervous system developed

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 12:19:19 EDT

Researchers have developed a new model system to study a receptor protein that controls cell death in both humans and fruit flies.

An inside look at carnivorous plants

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 18:26:26 EDT

A pitcher plant's work seems simple: Their tube-shaped leaves catch and hold rainwater, which drowns the ants, beetles, and flies that stumble in. But the rainwater inside a pitcher plant is not just a malevolent dunking pool. It also hosts a complex system of aquatic life, including wriggling mosquito, flesh fly, and midge larvae; mites; rotifers; copepods; nematodes; and multicellular algae.

Total buzz kill: Metals in flowers may play role in bumblebee decline

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 15:24:24 EDT

Beekeepers and researchers nationally are reporting growing evidence that a powerful new class of pesticides may be killing off bumblebees. Now, research points toward another potential cause: metal pollution from aluminum and nickel. A new study finds that bumblebees are at risk of ingesting toxic amounts of metals like aluminum and nickel found in flowers growing in soil that has been contaminated by exhaust from vehicles, industrial machinery, and farming equipment.

Ozone masks plants volatiles, plant eating insects confused

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 15:01:01 EDT

Increases in ground-level ozone, especially in rural areas, may interfere not only with predator insects finding host plants, but also with pollinators finding flowers, according to new research.

Putting larval cobia to the acid test: Potential resistance to increasingly acidic oceans by certain species of fish

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 12:48:48 EDT

Marine biologists have studied the potential effects of ocean acidification on the larvae of cobia (Rachycentron canandum).

Reviewing the work of one of the greatest beetle collectors: Napoleon's General Dejean

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 12:46:46 EDT

A soldier, general and politician, Pierre Dejean found his place in history for a different reason -- as one of the greatest beetle collectors. His figure represents a romantic reading of a fearless insect enthusiast who was not afraid to stop on the battlefield to collect a small insect.

Mosquito genetic complexity may take a bite out of efforts to control malaria

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 10:07:07 EDT

New research documents how the genetic structure of African malaria mosquitoes is evolving, which could lead to implications for controlling malaria.

Multi-toxin biotech crops not silver bullets, scientists warn

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 13:08:08 EDT

The widely used strategy of endowing crops with redundant toxins to fend off pests rests on flawed assumptions, researchers have discovered. Their study helps explain why pests are evolving resistance much faster than predicted and offers solutions for better agricultural management.

Robotic ants successfully mimic real colony behavior

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 09:06:06 EDT

Scientists have successfully replicated the behavior of a colony of ants on the move with the use of miniature robots.

Pirate perch probably use chemical camouflage to fool prey

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 08:59:59 EDT

Dark and sleek, it hides beneath the water waiting for prey. A researcher says the target will never know what hit them because they probably can’t smell the voracious pirate perch.

Insect pests more plentiful in hotter parts of city than in cooler areas

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 19:05:05 EDT

Higher temperatures in cities can be a key driver of insect pest outbreaks on trees in urban areas, according to new research.

Pesticide combination affects bees' ability to learn

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 13:33:33 EDT

Two new studies have highlighted a negative impact on bees' ability to learn following exposure to a combination of pesticides commonly used in agriculture. The researchers found that the pesticides, used in the research at levels shown to occur in the wild, could interfere with the learning circuits in the bee's brain.

Mountain pine beetle genome decoded

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 09:36:36 EDT

The genome of the mountain pine beetle -- the insect that has devastated British Columbia's lodgepole pine forests -- has now been decoded.