agriculture and life sciences
Partnering With Hunters, Anglers For Citizen Science
A new citizen science project is enlisting the hunting and fishing communities to help scientists understand the basic biology of a host of fish, bird and mammal species.
Could Insects Help Us Find New Yeasts for Big Business?
Yeasts are tiny fungi – but they play key roles in producing everything from beer and cheese to industrial chemicals and biofuels.
Termite Queen, King Recognition Pheromone Identified
Forget the bows and curtsies. Worker termites shake in the presence of their queens and kings. New research explains how these workers smell a royal presence.
Lack of Water is Key Stressor for Urban Trees
A recent study finds that urban trees can survive increased heat and insect pests fairly well – unless they are thirsty.
Flowers Aren’t Enough: How Urban Heat Affects Bee Populations
In cities, even gardens rich with flowers do not have the same bee abundance or diversity as natural areas. Why not?
‘Demographic Compensation’ May Not Save Plants Facing Changing Climate
Large-scale study shows mixed results for hypothesis on how plants deal with climate change.
Bed Bug Histamines Are Substantial, Persistent in Infested Homes
Bed bugs may soon be considered more than a nuisance pest. New research shows that bed bugs produce a lot of histamines that trigger allergic reactions in humans, and that these histamines don't go away for long periods of time - even if the bed bugs are eliminated.
Will a Cold Winter Kill Off Ticks?
Cold weather won’t kill off ticks. But a brutal winter could still have an effect on tick populations. Maybe.
Venus Flytraps Don’t Eat The Insects That Pollinate Them
Researchers discover which insects pollinate Venus flytraps – and learn that flytraps don’t dine on them.
How Solitary Cockroaches Gave Rise to Social Termites: Tales from Two Genomes
Termites are "social cockroaches." NC State researchers examine the genomes of both termites and cockroaches to find clues about how this evolution occurred.