Latest Insect Stories

Parasite speeds up mosquitoesDengue fever is a terrible viral disease blighting many of the world's tropical regions. Carried by mosquitoes, such as Aedes aegypti, 40% of the world's population is believed to be at risk from the infection. What is more, previous exposure to other strains of the fever does not confer protection. In fact, subsequent infections are significantly worse, and can result in fatal dengue hemorrhagic fever. The lack of a functioning vaccine forced Scott O'Neill and...

UC Riverside biologists researching the behavior of field crickets have found for the first time that female crickets remember attractive males based on the latter's song, and use this information when choosing mates.The researchers found that female crickets compare the information about the attractiveness of available males around them with other incoming signals when selecting attractive males for mating.The finding shows that social learning "“ the ability to learn information from...

The saliva from a fly may be able to save someone's eyesight.Researchers from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases have found what they call a "magic potion" of proteins in the saliva of the black fly that help it spread parasites that cause onchocerciasis or river blindness "“  a devastating eye-disease. They say a better understanding of these proteins may lead to better drugs and a vaccine for river blindness and other diseases spread by biting insects.Scientists...

Scottish and English scientists say a study supports the depiction of insects in the films Antz and Bee Movie, in which insects live in conformist societies. The scientists from the Universities of Edinburgh and Oxford said they created a mathematical model to study the evolution of cooperative groups of animals, known as superorganisms. The study identifies scenarios in which groups act as a unit. We often see animals appearing to move in unison, such as bison or fish. However, what looks...

The nature of modern terrorism shows that people are often caught off guard by attacks that use the most seemingly innocent devices. In a column published in UK's The Times Online, guest contributor Jeffrey A. Lockwood issued a warning against overlooking ecoterrorists' use of insects as weapons. "A great strategic lesson of 9/11 has been overlooked. Terrorists need only a little ingenuity, not sophisticated weapons, to cause enormous damage. Armed only with box-cutters, terrorists...

Insects mistake buildings, cars and even roads for water, laying eggs that will never hatch and jeopardizing ecosystems, a U.S. university researcher said. These ecological traps are caused by polarized light reflecting from windows, asphalt roads -- even plastic sheets and oil spills, Michigan State University research associate Bruce Robertson said. To some species, the light creates an appearance that mimics the surface of the water, which the insects use to breed and feed, he and...

New research from Cornell University finds that Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, the kind that spread diseases such as dengue and yellow fever, change their wing vibrations as a mating symbol.Ronald R. Hoy, who authored a report about the study, said the discovery could pave the way to better methods of controlling mosquitoes.  Indeed, one such way to control mosquitoes is by releasing sterile males to prevent reproduction.  By monitoring their mating signals, researchers would have a way to...

Smooth, dark buildings, vehicles and even roads can be mistaken by insects and other creatures for water, according to a Michigan State University researcher, creating "ecological traps" that jeopardize animal populations and fragile ecosystems.It's the polarized light reflected from asphalt roads, windows -- even plastic sheets and oil spills -- that to some species mimics the surface of the water they use to breed and feed. The resulting confusion could drastically disrupt mating...

Observing and betting on cricket fights has been part of Chinese cultural tradition since at least the Sung Dynasty (A.D. 960-1278). This ancient practice has resulted in quite a detailed list of characteristics that Chinese practitioners think make for champion fighters. "Because money was involved, there was a strong incentive for the practitioners of this sport to observe their cricket fighters closely," says Kevin Judge, a biology postdoctoral researcher at University of Toronto...

'Ecological traps' cause animal behaviors that can lead to deathHuman-made light sources can alter natural light cycles, causing animals that rely on light cues to make mistakes when moving through their environment. In the journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, a collaboration of ecologists, biologists and biophysicists has now shown that in addition to direct light, cues from polarized light can trigger animal behaviors leading to injury and often death.Artificial light that...