News by Subject Biology

A new study has mounted perhaps the most intricate, detailed look ever at the diversity in structure and form of bees, offering new insights in a long-standing debate over how complex social behaviors arose in certain branches of bees' evolutionary tree. The report offers strong evidence that complex social behavior developed just once in pollen-carrying bees, rather than twice or more, separately, in different evolutionary branches--but researchers say the case is far from closed.

Plant researchers found that the herb Aristolochia microstoma from Greece has evolved a novel strategy, unknown in any other plant species, to attract pollinating Megaselia 'coffin flies' to its trap flowers: it produces a unique mix of volatiles that resembles the smell of dead and decomposing insects. The new study is published by the open access publisher Frontiers.

The University of Maryland (UMD) co-published a paper to examine pollinators from both an economic and ecological perspective, providing much needed insight into the complexities of valuing pollination. This recent collaboration highlights the importance of characterizing the economic value of pollination services, including that of managed and wild pollinators, both for the sustainability of honey bee markets and the protection of overall ecosystem health.

Ecologist from Freiburg investigates pest infestation in forests with mixed and monoculture tree stands.

Pollinators in the tropics are less likely to thrive in intensive croplands, finds a new study led by UCL researchers suggesting bees and butterflies are at risk of major losses.

In the insect world, there are rare instances of ants shrugging off their societal duties to become free-loading parasites amongst their free-living relatives. Now, in a new study, an international collaboration of researchers teamed up to discover and collect these rare ant social parasites. Together, for the first time, they have obtained and analyzed the full DNA genome sequences of three rare "social parasite" leaf-cutting ant species (called Acromyrmex inquilines) to better understand the differences between them and their respective host species.

Biologists have revealed for the first time the genetics linking pheromone signals produced by female moths and the neuronal response driving male attraction to females. The ability to predict mate choice will help in understanding how species diverge, and how to control agricultural pests.