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INSECT BEHAVIOR
Scientists compared flies from cool California forests with those from hot Southwestern deserts; a 2025 study found their brains responded differently to heatTwo fly species, Drosophila persimilis and Drosophila mojavensis, showcase fascinating adaptations to their environments, revealing their o...- In 1990, a Texas family donated a cave to protect its bats; today, about 4 million female bats use it as a nursery each summerA Texas family's vision for conservation transformed their cave into the Eckert James River Bat Cave Preserve in 1990, eschewing fertilizer...
- Paleontologists studying fossil jaws in a Caribbean cave found ‘weird’-looking concave cavities; turns out ancient bees laid eggs inside them 20,000 years agoResearchers making waves on the island of Hispaniola have uncovered an astonishing find: ancient bees that crafted nests in fossilized anim...
- Scientists examined milkweed flowers with dead honey bees stuck to them; visits dropped 37%, while ant numbers climbed 51% in a UC Davis field experimentA study from the University of California, Davis, explored how dead honey bees impact milkweed flowers. The findings showed a 37 percent re...
- In Washington, scientists excluded elk from rainforest plots for 36 years; shrubs became 5 to 6 times more abundant, while 46 plant species disappearedA comprehensive study conducted over 36 years in Washington's Olympic Peninsula has unveiled striking insights into elk exclusion's impact ...
- In 1993, a few bison were introduced to America's dying grasslands. Now, thousands of those beasts, once hunted to near extinction, are helping bring the prairie ecosystem back to lifeOklahoma's Tallgrass Prairie Preserve is restoring bison populations and their habitat. Bison grazing and wallowing create favorable condit...
- In 1851, Brooklyn released 100 house sparrows from England; 175 years later, the birds are found across nearly all of North AmericaHouse Sparrows, introduced to North America during the mid-1800s, have rapidly become a prevalent part of the continent's avian scene. Thei...
- In the 1940s, a few snakes arrived in Guam hidden in military cargo; decades later, nine of the island’s 11 native forest bird species were goneGovernment bodies are collaborating with local citizen scientists in a proactive approach towards snake removal on Guam. This program's aim...
- In 1999, NASA sent 4 ladybugs aboard Columbia for 5 days to chase aphids; the aphids lost their ability to escape by falling, and the ladybugs still caught and ate themIn 1999, four ladybugs embarked on an extraordinary journey aboard the space shuttle Columbia to investigate their predatory habits in a we...
- In 2006, NASA launched 75 fruit flies on STS-121 for 13 days; Discovery returned with about 3,000, including a new generation that developed in spaceNASA's experiments with fruit flies in zero gravity unveiled significant weaknesses in their immune systems. Observations indicated these f...
- Two golden silk orb weavers lived on the ISS for two months; most space-built webs became nearly symmetric, but under light the spiders used brightness as a new sense of upA fascinating study involving spiders in the International Space Station concluded that in microgravity, these creatures built webs that ex...
- Oil beetle larvae mimics flower-like scents to fool bees into feeding and sheltering them, study finds - Researchers reveal how these unusual insects exploit bees’ attraction to floral scents, allowing the larvae to hitch a ride into their nests and survive through a remarkable form of chemical deception in natureTiny larvae of oil beetles have developed a fascinating survival tactic: they emit flower-like scents to attract wild bees, allowing them t...
- In 1855, scientists discovered a fungus that turns flies into zombie hosts. More than 160 years later, its spores still show how a parasite can control behavior in fliesA parasitic fungus, Entomophthora muscae, infects flies and manipulates their behavior. This fungus drives infected insects to high points ...
- Wheat farmers have a new weapon against a pest that costs them $350 million a year; researchers are using straw bales to move tiny parasitoids into fields and fight the wheat stem sawflyA new frontier in pest management is underway as researchers test a groundbreaking method to tackle the wheat stem sawfly issue. Utilizing ...
- Science says butterflies taste with their feet, here’s why evolution put chemical sensors on their legsButterflies have specialized sensory structures on their legs, known as gustatory sensilla, that allow them to detect chemicals when they l...
- Scientists taught cameras to watch birds around solar panels; after 19,000 hours of footage, they discovered how the birds were actually using themResearchers are examining how birds interact with solar panel systems, utilizing AI-enhanced cameras to capture extensive footage of avian ...
- In 1984, NASA sent about 3,300 honeybees into space to test comb-building without gravity; the colony built about 31 square inches of honeycombIn 1984, honeybees traveled aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger for a unique student experiment. These bees successfully built honeycomb an...
- In 2014, NASA sent 800 ants to the International Space Station to study how they search without gravity; some spent seconds tumbling through the airResearchers sent ants to the International Space Station to investigate their behavior under microgravity. This unique environment posed ch...
- Earlier this year, Smithsonian scientists decoded the pheromones that determine whether bee daughters stay home or leave. It produced surprising clues about how simple insect societies evolve into complex communitiesBee pheromones: New research reveals queen bees use chemical signals to guide daughters. These pheromones influence whether daughters remai...
- The Mystery of “Zombie Fungi” That Control Insect Behavior Is ExpandingA fungus from the Ophiocordyceps genus is systematically altering insect behavior, compelling them to leave colonies and position themselve...
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