Insects

Study finds insect-borne bacteria turning harmless reed leafhopper into major agricultural pest

A tiny insect is wreaking havoc on Europe’s sugar beet industry, not by biting plants, but by spreading bacteria that rob crops of their value.

A Green Leaf-hopper, Cicadella viridis, resting on a plant stem.

Understanding Israel's summer pests: A closer look at what's bugging you

The CDC confirmed the first US human screwworm infection in decades, treating a Maryland patient and stressing risk remains very low. (Illustrative)

Flesh-eating parasite found in US patient for first time in decades

THE BLACK soldier fly

Not just a pesky nuisance: Insect oil could revolutionize animals’ wellness


Ant hivemind behaves like a neural network when making decisions -study

When facing rising temperatures, colonies collectively evacuate the nest when the ground becomes too warm, It is almost as if the colony of ants has a greater, collective mind.

 Artificial Neural Network with Chip

Lice jumped from birds to ancient elephant ancestor, spread to mammals - study

A parasite switching hosts from birds to mammals isn't unheard of, but it is incredibly rare. This has only happened a few times.

Head lice

'Biblical' swarms of giant crickets ravage western US crops

Amidst drought and warming temperatures, conditions favored by the crickets, outbreaks across the West have worsened.

A swarm of desert locusts fly near the town of Rumuruti, Kenya, January 31, 2021.

Klil launches first ecological butterfly lake park in world

The park is an open area and not a closed greenhouse, in order to allow butterflies in the area to stay and reproduce in the park.

 Butterfly Lake Park opened by Klil

For first time, ‘little fire ants’ discovered to endanger lives

Doctors in Sheba Medical Center are the first to discover that the invasive species is not only a garden pest, but fire ant bites can also endanger lives.

 Red ants - also known as fire ants or solenopsis are stinging ants.

'Fearless' naming: New species of millipede named after Taylor Swift

The celebrated "Shake It Off" singer has been honored with one of the newest species in this group of creepy-crawlies named after her.

Singer Taylor Swift receives the Tour of the Year award during the iHeartRadio Music Awards in Los Angeles, California, U.S., March 14, 2019.

Chimpanzees use insects to treat wounds, help each other - study

The research reveals the intelligence of chimpanzees and their prosocial behavior, highlighting how close they are to humans on the evolutionary ladder.

 A chimpanzee. One of the closest animals to humans on the evolutionary ladder (illustrative).

Want to stop mosquito bites? This study may explain how

Everyone has most likely asked: Is there any way to not get bitten by mosquitoes? Yes, and it has everything to do with color.

A Culex quinquefasciatus mosquito is seen on the skin of a human host in this 2014 picture from the Center for Disease Control. C. quinquefasciatus is known as one of the many arthropodal vectors responsible for spreading the arboviral encephalitis, West Nile virus (WNV) to human beings through thei

Rare insect species with leaf-shaped genitals found in Uganda

Phlogis kibalensis, the new leafhopping discovery, is the first member of the rare genus to be stopped since 1969.

Illustration of an insect

Creepy-crawly: True millipede with over 1,000 legs found in Australia

The millipede, boasting a grand total of 1,306 legs, has more legs than any other animal on Earth.

 The first true millipede—1,306 legs long.