Throwing a ball, chasing it or just pushing it around – it’s fun for humans, dogs and cats. Object play is common among mammals, especially […]
Read moreTag: Insects
Man in pink or man in green? – on fruit flies following trends
Would you like to find out whether female fruit flies follow trends and choose mates that are similar to those most popular among other females? If so, read on.
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Different mosquitos use different tactics to evade our swatting hands
It’s difficult to catch flying mosquito largely because their flight is very erratic. this baseline tactic is somewhat different and can be adjusted in different ways in different mosquito species.
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Wasps can recognise individual faces of other wasps and humans
Some wasps are really good at recognising each other’s faces and, like humans, process faces in a holistic way. Wasps can also learn to recognise individual human faces.
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Do flowers use caffeine to attract more bees?
Caffeine was discovered in the nectar of many plants. And it appears that plants may actually use it to induce bees to increase their pollinator services, possibly to the bees’ detriment.
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Unwanted guests – blue butterfly caterpillars in ants’ nests
Some caterpillars (for example blue butterflies) need ants to survive and develop into adults. They spend a large part of their development in ants’ nests and trick the hosts into feeding them. Here is their story.
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Did you know that some insects take care of their young?
There are some insects that go to great lengths to provide for their offspring. Maybe some you wouldn’t expect to do so, like earwigs, cockroaches or tsetse flies.
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Do you know how to discriminate male and female houseflies?
A woman walked into the kitchen to find her husband stalking around with a fly swatter. “What are you doing?” she asked. “Hunting flies,” he […]
Read moreDid you know that bumblebees find efficient ways to move a ball to a target?
Have you ever watched a bumblebee collecting nectar from flowers? At first sight, this does not seem like a very difficult task, requiring sophisticated cognitive […]
Read moreDid you know that ants’ brains can grow or shrink depending on their role in the nest?
Many species of ants live in colonies with fixed reproductive roles: one or more queens that lay the eggs, and many sterile workers who forage […]
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