In October, Mediterranean fruit flies were discovered in an area of Los Angeles. California is a big farming state, and this was serious news for farmers. The solution to the problem may seem a little unusual: releasing millions more of the flies.
Posts tagged as “insects”
People in Paris, France are growing concerned about a problem that has worried people for centuries: bedbugs. With more and more reports of bedbugs being found, politicians are starting to worry about getting rid of the insects before Paris holds the 2024 Olympics next summer.
Kids everywhere love to play. And they know that a ball is a perfect thing to play with. Now scientists at London's Queen Mary University report that bumblebees seem to know the same thing, making bumblebees the first insects known to play.
Most mosquitoes are annoying, and a serious health risk. But some aren't. A few even help get rid of other mosquitoes. Now, scientists have discovered the head-popping secret that turns the larvae of some mosquitoes into deadly hunters of other mosquitoes.
In an effort to help out important insects like bees and butterflies, bus stops across the United Kingdom and Europe are getting living roofs. Small gardens on bus shelter roofs are being planted with flowers chosen to help support the struggling insects.
In today's news roundup, young men race to leave Russia as it looks for more soldiers, earthquakes strike in Mexico and Taiwan, and scientists report that there are 20 quadrillion ants on the planet.
In the past, scientists have shown that bees have some surprising math skills. Now, new research shows that bees can even be trained to tell the difference between odd and even numbers. Before this, humans were the only animals known to have this ability.
For years, the number of Western monarch butterflies has been dropping. Last year, there was a surprising increase in monarch numbers. Now, scientists want people in the western US to help out by sending in any pictures of monarchs they take this spring.
The United States is battling invasive insects on two coasts. In Washington state, government workers are trying hard to get rid of Asian giant hornets. In the eastern US, there's a huge effort to stamp out spotted lanternflies.
In today's news roundup, the Keystone XL pipeline has been permanently cancelled, McDonald's BTS Meal is so popular in Indonesia that several restaurants had to be closed, and cicadas prevent a plane for White House reporters from taking off.
Something unusual is happening in the eastern United States: insects that have been underground for 17 years are coming out in great numbers, mating, and making lots of noise. In a few weeks, they'll disappear for another 17 years.