While many people know that ants defend aphids and aphids provide food for the ants, there is more to this relationship than meets the eye.
Read moreTag: Insects
Bait, shields and wedding gifts – object use in insects
I wrote before about bumblebees rolling balls to get a reward or just for fun. This shows that in laboratory conditions insects can learn to use human-made objects. But what do we know about how insects use objects in nature?
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Honeybees learn from others how to dance well
Not only do honeybees learn from each other where to find food, but they also need to learn from others the nitty-gritty details of their waggle dance language.
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Did you know that bumblebees play?
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 […]
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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.
Read moreDo 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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