Robber flies track their beetle prey using tiny microbursts of movement
Not much is known about the predator fly Laphria saffrana. New research identified how they count the wingbeats of their favored prey, letting it slip out of focus before adjusting their heads.
March 5, 2024 • ~7 min
Why do bees have queens? 2 biologists explain this insect’s social structure – and why some bees don’t have a queen at all
A queen’s main job in the hive is to lay eggs and pass genes on to offspring. But many bee species do just fine without queens or big colonies.
March 4, 2024 • ~7 min
Three ways climate change is pushing butterflies and moths to their limits
Climate change puts pressure on British butterflies and moths - sometimes pushing them to the edges of their geographical range or shifting the timing of their life cycle so they can’t feed.
Feb. 29, 2024 • ~8 min
We’ve found out how earless moths use sound to defend themselves against bats – and it could give engineers new ideas
The ermine moth’s wing structures are fascinating because they rely on a mechanism we teach our engineering students to avoid
Feb. 6, 2024 • ~8 min
The surprising reason why insects circle lights at night: They lose track of the sky
A new study shows how artificial light at night scrambles insects’ normal flight patterns, pulling them off course into orbit around the light.
Jan. 30, 2024 • ~9 min
Tiny water-walking bugs provide scientists with insights on how microplastics are pushed underwater
Microplastic pollution is a growing problem − one lab is looking at tiny insects as inspiration for how these pollutants might move through water.
Jan. 22, 2024 • ~5 min
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