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Butterflies evolved 100 million years ago in North America

15 May 2023

Many researchers thought butterflies first evolved in Asia, but a global genetic analysis suggests they arose in North America, well before the non-avian dinosaurs went extinct


Incisitermes schwarzi

Termites spread globally by crossing the oceans on driftwood rafts

1 June 2022

An analysis of drywood termite DNA shows the wood-dwelling insects have crossed the oceans at least 40 times in their history, probably rafting inside driftwood


Zenithoptera lanei is a genus of dragonfly, Libellulidae family. Location: Near Presidente Figueiredo, Amazon rainforest, Brazil; Shutterstock ID 1161881227; purchase_order: -; job: -; client: -; other: -

Blue wings give morpho dragonflies stealth capabilities

3 March 2022

The way light reflects off morpho dragonflies’ bright blue wings helps the insects blend in with water when viewed from above, making them invisible to predators and prey


Parasitic ants keep evolving to lose their smell and taste genes

Parasitic ants keep evolving to lose their smell and taste genes

2 June 2021

When parasitic ants move into another species’ colony, they outsource foraging to the host ants – which may be why several species of parasitic ants have lost the genes for taste and smell


Nearly 500 bee species are thriving in a small patch of US desert

Nearly 500 bee species are thriving in a small patch of US desert

29 March 2021

A wildlife refuge on the US-Mexico border is home to nearly 500 species of bees, the densest aggregation of bee species anywhere in the world


Boxes of bees

Farmed bees are mating with native bees - and that could endanger them

19 October 2019

Millions of colonies of farmed bees are used to help pollinate crops. It turns out they can escape and mate with local bees, producing offspring that may be vulnerable to climate change


Wasps may be getting smaller

Wasps are shrinking in size and it may be because of climate change

1 August 2019

Global warming has been linked to smaller body sizes in antelopes, sparrows – and now wasps. Oddly, their wings are shrinking faster than the rest of their body


Archocyrtus kovalevi likely fed on the nectar of gymnosperms

Pollinators may have evolved 40 million years before flowers existed

11 April 2019

A fossil of a Jurassic fly suggests that pollinating insects may have been flying around on Earth long before the first flowers had begun to bloom


A fern moth caterpillar

Arsenic-munching caterpillars may ingest poison to prevent being eaten

9 March 2019

Some caterpillars happily dine on arsenic-loaded leaves. Accumulating the poison in their bodies may be a tactic to ward of predators


Female velvet ants are so scary no other animal dares eat them

Female velvet ants are so scary no other animal dares eat them

27 June 2018

Most insects live in constant fear of predators—but not the velvet ant. New research suggests that these gaudy, fuzzy insects are essentially invincible.


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