Tag: Insects

Sugar cane makes life sweeter for its natural surroundings. Beetles, likewise, make plants happy and offer protection against parasites and pesticides. Ladybirds, too, have an increasingly important role to play in agriculture. Enter a female US researcher investigating why aphids avoid the polka-dotted insects like the plague. Turns out it’s the unique smell ladybirds emit. This is produced by...

Powder made from pineapple waste is a superfood for fish. Forget salmon or beef tenderloin: pets can get all the nutrients they need from soldier fly larvae. And so can livestock. Up until now soldier fly larvae have been predominantly reared on starchy chicken feed. Still, thought a Danish research team, why not experiment with an organic waste product...

Maze-like paths keeps insects away from plants. Mosquitoes aren’t just annoying; they are also carriers of disease. Sometimes simple concepts are the best. An idea that an Alabama research team has developed to create a material that protects humans from mosquito bites. The insects can bend their piercing and sucking proboscises at 90 degree angles, penetrating even the thickest...