entomology
Hot Cities Spell Bad News for Bees
A new study finds that common wild bee species decline as urban temperatures increase.
The Boll Weevil War, or How Farmers and Scientists Saved Cotton in the South
The boll weevil is not much to look at, but it was powerful enough to forge an unprecedented partnership between farmers, legislators and scientists.
Research Yields New Details About Trap-jaw Ants – and They Look Amazing
Trap-jaw ants, with their spring-loaded jaws and powerful stings, are among the fiercest insect predators, but they begin their lives as spiny, hairy, fleshy blobs hanging from the ceiling and walls of an underground nest.
‘Princess Pheromone’ Tells Ants Which Larvae Are Destined to Be Queens
For Indian jumping ants (Harpegnathos saltator), becoming royalty is all about timing.
Study IDs Ways to Encourage ‘Refuge’ Planting, Slowing Resistance to Bt Crops
A study finds a shortfall in the amount of “refuge” cropland being planted in NC – increasing the rate at which crop pests evolve the ability to devour genetically engineered Bt crops.
Engineering a New Mosquito
NC State entomologists are developing genetic systems that could replace mosquito populations with strains that have a reduced capacity for transmitting disease.
Urban Warming Slows Tree Growth, Photosynthesis
New research finds that urban warming reduces growth and photosynthesis in city trees. The researchers found that insect pests are part of the problem, but that heat itself plays a more significant role.
It’s a Boy: Modified Male Flies Could More Efficiently Control Screwworm Population
Suppressing populations of devastating pests may be easier with the release of genetically modified males.
Expanding Outreach to Support Bees and Other Pollinators
A lot of people want to know what they can do to help bees – and a new initiative at NC State is aimed at helping to meet that demand.
How Native American Agriculture Spread Bees in Pre-Columbian North America
Using genetic markers, researchers have for the first time shown how cultivating a specific crop led to the expansion of a pollinator species. In this case, the researchers found that the spread of a bee species in pre-Columbian Central and North America was tied to the spread of squash agriculture.