Despite the importance of pollinators to the world’s food supply and ecosystem health, surprisingly little is known about which flowers many pollinator species prefer, which flowers are pollinated by which insects and how these interactions fluctuate over time. To help address this issue, University of Sussex researchers have developed a new online database that documents […]
In a balanced ecosystem, every living thing plays an important role. Take away one — trees, for instance — and things start to collapse. Trees provide habitat and food for insects, birds, mammals like koalas, reptiles and other animals, as well as shade and nutrients for the soil from fallen leaves and rotting bark, not […]
Taylor Swift has a long list of pop music accolades. Now, one scientist has added to the “Blank Space” on her resume with a newly discovered millipede species named after her. Entomologist Derek Hennen, along with fellow scientists Jackson Means and Paul Marek of Virginia Tech, discovered the millipede, named Nannaria swiftae, along with 16 […]
Grasshoppers may seem very different from people, but there’s one thing some of them have in common with humans and other mammals: their teeth. It might seem like a safe assumption that all grasshoppers are vegetarian, but it turns out that not only do some species eat meat, they have also evolved the right teeth […]
In the UK, certain wildflowers are deemed “injurious weeds” and subject to control by government demand. However, a new study published in the Journal of Applied Ecology Monday found that these “injurious” plants are actually beneficial for biodiversity and pollinators. “There now exists a substantial body of evidence which shows that weeds are a vitally […]
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is expected to approve a proposal to extend the use of four neonicotinoids for the next 15 years. These pesticides are known to be especially dangerous for essential pollinators, like bees and butterflies, and have been linked to the widespread decline of insect populations. Despite citing the pesticides imidacloprid, […]
If the murder hornets in 2020 weren’t enough, a new invasive critter, alarming in appearance only, is set to take over the East Coast. Known as the joro spider, or Trichonephila clavata, this arachnid is expected to spread beyond Georgia and up the East Coast. The sight of one is enough to make many squeamish: […]
Small urban gardens can still make a big difference for bees and other pollinators. A new study published in the Journal of Applied Ecology this month found that the amount of nectar produced by gardens in a UK city was not contingent upon their size. “Most of the nectar produced in gardens is by a […]
A new study shows just how dangerous pesticides can be for bees. The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America this month, found that bee populations can take a hit for generations if a bee is exposed just once to a common pesticide during its […]
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