Insects
Florida mosquitoes: 750 million genetically modified insects to be released
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The aim is to reduce the population of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes Local officials in Florida have approved the release of 750 million mosquitoes that have been genetically modified to reduce local populations. The aim is to reduce the number of mosquitoes that carry diseases like dengue or the Zika …
Biodiversity: The best plants for attracting insects to gardens
Image copyright RHS/Paul Debois Image caption A harvestman scurries across seedheads in research beds at Wisley Garden You can do your bit for insects by growing lots of foliage in your garden, a study has found. Ground-dwelling insects, such as beetles, generally benefit from dense vegetation, including evergreens. Spiders, however, prefer a bit of bare …
Leaf blowers fatal to declining insects, Germans warned
Media playback is unsupported on your device Media captionReports show many insect populations are declining. How will that affect us? The German government has warned against the use of leaf blowers over concerns for insects and the environment. Germany’s Ministry for the Environment said leaf blowers were too loud, polluted the air and posed a …
‘Alarming’ loss of insects and spiders recorded
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Beetles are among many insects in retreat Insects and spiders are declining in forests and grasslands across Germany, according to new research. Scientists have described the findings as “alarming”, saying the losses are driven by intensive agriculture. They are calling for a “paradigm shift” in land-use policy to preserve …
Fastest ants in world found in northern Sahara, researchers say | Science
The sand dunes of the northern Sahara are home to the fastest ants in the world, according to researchers who clocked the insects foraging for food in the blistering midday sun. Video footage reveals the ants galloping across the scorching sand at speeds approaching one metre per second, the equivalent of a house cat tearing …
Soaring Toxicity of U.S. Pesticides Puts Future of Insects at Risk
A new peer-reviewed study shows an explosion in the toxicity of U.S. agriculture for insects over the past 25 years since neonicotinoid pesticides were introduced. The study found that U.S. agriculture is 48 times more toxic to insect life, and that neonicotinoids account for 92 percent of the increase in toxicity. “It is alarming …
Obituary: Georges Brossard, the man who stuck up for insects
Image copyright Montreal Botanical Garden/Michel Tremblay Image caption Georges Brossard said the moment he decided to collect insects “hit me like a bolt of lighting” Georges Brossard dedicated his life to helping humans appreciate the underappreciated world of insects. Brossard, who has died aged 79, gave up a career in law to travel the world …
Toxic caterpillars spark health scare across Germany | World news
Marauding caterpillars with toxic hairs have brought parts of Germany to a standstill, leading to closures of swimming pools, restaurants, public parks and sections of the motorway. Oak processionary moth caterpillars, named after the nose-to-tail processions they form to travel between the oak trees they devour, have fine, long hairs with an irritating toxin that …
We’re Going to Mistake the Drones of the Future for Annoying Flying Insects
GIF: Harvard School of Engineering (YouTube) Harvard’s robotic flying bee has been in development for well over a decade now. And despite its incredibly simple design, over the past few years, its creators have improved Robobee’s capabilities, adding abilities such as the ability to hover and even steer itself down a pre-determined flight path. It’s …
