Tag: insects
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Rice Weevil on a Grain of Rice Wins 2025 Nikon Small World Contest
Winning Image Elevates Insect Photography and Entomology The 2025 Nikon Small World photomicrography contest has crowned a striking image that captures a rice weevil perched on a lone grain of rice. This tiny, intricate scene, created by Zhang You from Yunnan, China, has captivated judges and audiences alike by revealing the delicate interplay between pest…
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112-Million-Year-Old Amber Time Capsule Reveals Insects
New Find in Ecuador: A 112-Million-Year-Old Amber In a discovery that reshapes our understanding of ancient life in the Southern Hemisphere, researchers have identified a 112-million-year-old amber sample from the Hollín Formation in Ecuador’s Oriente Basin. Amber, fossilized tree resin, becomes a rare window into the past when it traps organisms at a moment in…
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112-Million-Year-Old Time Capsule Reveals Southern Hemisphere Insects in Amber
A Time Capsule from the Cretaceous North Meets the Southern Hemisphere In a breakthrough that broadens our view of ancient ecosystems, scientists have uncovered a 112-million-year-old amber time capsule in Ecuador. This exceptional find sheds light on life in the Southern Hemisphere during a pivotal era when continents were drifting apart from the ancient supercontinent…
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Why a Bug’s “Dance” Isn’t About Dating—It’s a Stealthy Survival Trick
What Looks Like Dancing Isn’t About Courtship Insects rarely perform for the camera, and their behavior often hides deeper purposes. A recent study by STRI researchers Connor Evans-Blake, Juliette Rubin and Ummat Somjee uncovers a surprising truth about a group of colorful flag-legged bugs: their waving is not a courtship display but a sophisticated anti-predator…
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When a Dance Becomes a Defense: Why These Bugs Wave Their Legs Instead of Attracting Mates
From Courtship to Counterattack: The Mystery of Waving Legs What looks like a flamboyant courtship display is, in fact, a survival tactic. Researchers studying a group of plant-feeding insects known for their colorful “flags” have found that leg waving is not about attracting mates. Instead, it serves as an anti-predator behavior that helps the bugs…
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Flag-Waving Bugs Reveal Surprising Anti-Predator Strategy
Mystery Behind the Waving Flags What looks like a playful dance on the leaves is actually a survival tactic. For years, scientists wondered if the bright leg flags of matador bugs were a courtship display shaped by sexual selection. However, a study examining both male and female waving found no link to mating or competition.…