Most spiders have eight legs, no ears and use fine leg hairs connected to nerve cells or their webs to hear sounds in their environment. But how do they smell? A new study by an international team of researchers has found that male spiders “smell” with their legs, using olfactory hairs — wall-pore sensilla — […]
Tag: insects
Warming threatens flies more than bees, raising pollination concerns
Life can’t function without insects. At least, not for long. They pollinate, break down waste, cycle nutrients, and touch every node in the web of life, filling endless niches across the planet. As global temperatures continue to rise, some of Earth’s most important but overlooked pollinators, the flies, may be at greater risk than previously […]
Almost extinct Caribbean lizard makes a comeback after island restoration
A tiny lizard found only on one tiny Caribbean island has seen a dramatic 1,500% increase in its population, after just a few years of island restoration efforts. In 2018, researchers estimated there were fewer than 100 individuals of the critically endangered Sombrero ground lizard (Pholidoscelis corvinus) on the small hat-shaped Sombrero Island, part of […]
Rare Invasive Insects Intercepted at Dulles Airport Pose Economic Threat
In a surprising discovery, Customs and Border Protection inspectors at Dulles International Airport recently encountered two exotic insects not typically seen in the Washington, D.C. area. On October 7, during a routine inspection of a flower shipment from South Africa, officials identified two potentially harmful species that could pose significant threats to local agriculture. […]
Invasive spotted lanternflies thrive in cities
Warm cities may provide the best conditions for the spread of invasive lanternflies. Spotted lanternflies (Lycorma delicatula), native to Asia, first arrived in the U.S. in 2014 in Pennsylvania. They have since spread across the Northeast and into the Midwest and Southeast. Scientists tapped into the citizen science platform iNaturalist to learn more about why […]
Hiker, 63, dies after being attacked by “stinging insects” on the trail
A 63-year-old hiker has died after being attacked by “stinging insects” on a Hong Kong hiking trail. According to the South China Morning Post, the incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon when a party of four was hiking on the Wilson Trail in the Pat Sin Leng mountain range. The group of two men and two […]
From local pond to outback dunny, Australia’s biggest frog count is here – and researchers need your help
They moan, hum, whistle and click, and can be found almost everywhere, from the neighbourhood pond to the most remote outback dunny. From Friday to 17 November, people across the country are encouraged to take part in FrogID week, Australia’s biggest frog count. The annual event, now in its seventh year, aims to collect thousands […]
Would you trust an ant to amputate your limb? Science is showing they are skilled surgeons
An insect bites off another insect’s leg. Is this predatory behaviour, aggression, defence, competition or something else? In the case of carpenter ants, it’s for the good of the amputee and to the benefit of the colony. A July 2024 study found carpenter ants carry out lifesaving amputations on their colony siblings. Image © Waffa/Shutterstock […]