Don't Sweat the Invasion Nov 5, 2009
A few years ago, the USDA let loose thousands of leaf-eating Asian beetles in order to sic them on tamarisks, which die from the defoliation. But these efforts to oust the intruder have encountered a glitch. (Slate)
Messages from the natural world Nov 4, 2009
Double Doyle has a couple of beetles perched on an open book, in which the illustration portrays a fairy being towed through the air by several butterflies. The larger beetle is as big as the book itself. (Boston Globe)
Bug spray likely killed infant, injured 2 in SC Nov 3, 2009
Bug experts say the Asian lady beetles, considered harbingers of good luck in many cultures, are making their seasonal appearance in droves in search of warmth for the approaching winter. The beetles are harmless to humans. (Fresno Bee -- Nation)
Data Point To Some Improvements In China's Environment Nov 3, 2009
Rove beetles can be used as indicators of clear-cut harvesting. (Apr. (Science Daily)
Inconspicuous leaf beetles reveal environment's role in formation of new species Oct 31, 2009
Unnoticed by the nearby residents of St. Johnsbury, Vermont, tiny leaf beetles that flit among the maple and willow trees in the area have just provided some of the clearest evidence yet that environmental factors play a major role in the formation of new species ... Funk has investigated this odd group of leaf beetles (which resemble unappetizing caterpillar pellets) for 15 years ... Their past observations have suggested that such "maple leaf beetles" and "willow leaf beetles" may be in the... (EurekAlert!)
Hungry bats prompt firefly flashes Oct 30, 2009
Their favorite food was beetles, comprising 80 percent of the common bat's diet. The researchers then fed the bats mealworms, some of which were coated with homogenized fireflies. (MSNBC -- Environment)
US Cotton Almost Clear of Voracious Boll Weevil Oct 30, 2009
For more than a century, the small green beetles ate through U.S. cotton crops, costing growers $20 billion and making the boll weevil the most expensive agricultural pest in the nation's history ... For more than a century, small green beetles ate through U.S. cotton crops, costing growers $20 billion and making the boll weevil the most expensive agricultural pest in the nation's history. (ABC News -- Business)
Modified crops reveal hidden cost of resistance Oct 27, 2009
This photo shows cucumber beetles on a squash flower ... The researchers then looked at the effects of the virus-resistant transgenes on prevalence of the three viral diseases, herbivory by cucumber beetles, as well as the occurrence of bacterial wilt disease that is spread by the cucumber beetles ... "When the cucumber beetles start to feed on infected plants they pick up the bacteria through their digestive system," explained Sasu. (EurekAlert!)
Mexico fells trees to save butterfly reserve Oct 25, 2009
Infestation of bark beetles leads to culling before monarchs arrive ... MEXICO CITY - Authorities who have struggled to stop illegal logging in Mexico's famed monarch butterfly reserve now are cutting down thousands of trees themselves to fight an unprecedented infestation of deadly bark beetles ... But freezing rains and cold night air that can kill the monarchs at the high-altitude reserve, so the insects are threatened by a loss of trees, whether by loggers or the bark beetles. (MSNBC -- International)
Guest opinion: What would energy bill mean for Montana? Oct 25, 2009
That could have a wide range of consequences across the state, including reducing the number of cold-water trout habitats, shrinking duck wetland breeding grounds and spurring the spread of pine bark beetles, which already have done so much damage to Montana's forests. There's also little doubt that more intense, damaging weather would make it harder for the state's farmers and ranchers to make ends meet. (Montana Standard, MT)
Where are the fall colors? Oct 24, 2009
Cold doesn't hurt beetles Record cold temperatures earlier this month likely had no impact on mountain pine beetles ... The fact that temperatures dropped early in the season would have little affect on the beetles, which he said were insulated inside trees. (Montana Standard, MT)
Smokies to host electronic field trip for millions Oct 23, 2009
During the broadcast they will hunt salamanders, release beetles that eat the bugs destroying the park's trees and peer through video microscopes at the tiny creatures found on the Smokies' forest floor and in its clear streams. The live program, which will be distributed via satellite, cable and Webcast, also will allow students to query the experts in real time by phone or computer from their classrooms. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Travel)
Female choice benefits mothers more than offspring Oct 23, 2009
The great diversity of male sexual traits, ranging from peacock's elaborate train to formidable genitalia of male seed beetles, is the result of female choice ... The great diversity of male sexual traits, ranging from peacock's elaborate train to formidable genitalia of male seed beetles, is the result of female choice ... Female beetles are constantly harassed by ardent males and thwart male mating attempts by vigorously kicking the unwanted suitors with their hind legs. (EurekAlert!)
Seasonal ladybug swarms pester even bug experts Oct 22, 2009
Bug experts say the Asian lady beetles, considered harbingers of good luck in many cultures, are making their seasonal appearance in droves in search of warmth for the approaching winter. The beetles are harmless to humans ... Where the beetles swarm can vary wildly, according to experts. (Chippewa Falls Chippewa Herald, WI)
Trees cut to save butterflies Oct 20, 2009
MEXICO CITY (AP) -- Authorities who have struggled to stop illegal logging in Mexico's famed monarch butterfly reserve now are cutting down thousands of trees themselves to fight an unprecedented infestation of deadly bark beetles ... But freezing rains and cold night air that can kill the monarchs at the high-altitude reserve, so the insects are threatened by a loss of trees, whether by loggers or the bark beetles ... Experts say insecticide is the best way to control the beetles, but that... (Pocatello Idaho State Journal, ID)
Climate change shrank underground creatures Oct 20, 2009
"We are beginning this undertaking by planning to focus on species of beetles and cicadas that are abundant, easy to identify and have a significant part of their life cycle underground," said Hasiotis. Click for related content. (MSNBC -- Environment)
Emerald ash borer detected in Alger County Oct 19, 2009
MUNISING (AP) Alger has become the latest county in Michigan's Upper Peninsula where the tree-killing emerald ash borer has been detected (Gaylord Herald Times, MI)
For Social Networks, It's Game On Oct 19, 2009
Playdom, with more than 25 million monthly active users -- most of them on MySpace -- sold more than $200,000 worth of virtual pink Volkswagen Beetles in two days, Playdom says. Its revenue is about $75 million this year, Lasky estimates. (W-USA News, DC)
A SAVING GRACE Oct 18, 2009
" The plants are a good food source. Most SAVs grow seeds that are tiny packages of protein for ducks, and waterfowl also find nourishment eating the leaves, stems, rhizomes and tubers of the plants. But there is another benefit ducks derive from SAVs. Large concentrations of the plants provide a home to an entire food chain beneficial to waterfowl. They are the reef communities in the waterfowling world. Dense mats of SAVs -- from their stems to their roots systems -- harbor very large... (Nola.com -- Sports)
Business thrives by keeping bugs busy Oct 18, 2009
McZilkey's company, Southern Skull Cleaning, does exactly what its name implies -- and he uses flesh-eating dermestid beetles to get the job done ... Transforming a fresh deer head into a polished, preserved keepsake doesn't happen overnight, even with thousands of beetles that can remove every shred of flesh in a matter of days ... The beetles do their work rapidly, but the final touches are still very important. (The Augusta Chronicle)
Pioneer Talks Crops (2) Oct 18, 2009
Corn rootworm beetles have been varying greatly between fields with some showing at least one beetle per plant to other fields showing very few. Keep an eye out for western bean cutworm as there have been some reports of the larvae showing up in corn plant ears in the southern half of the state. (Agri-View, WI)
Pigeons in Kodiak: Love them or kill them? Oct 16, 2009
"Nesting within structures, urination within and on the building, bird mites, secondary pests like flies and beetles can all become issues for [a] building," says another. But wait: Not many people are complaining, say borough and city officials. (Anchorage Daily News)
Cold snap may have killed some pine beetles, but most likely survived Oct 14, 2009
This month's early cold snap may have killed a few mountain pine beetles, but probably not many, according to a scientist with the U.S. Forest Service. Unseasonably cold weather sometimes is more effective at killing pine beetles than frigid temperatures in the heart of winter, said Bill Schaupp, an entomologist with the USFS Forest Health Management Group in Rapid City ... "I don't mean to dash people's hopes," said Schaupp, but it has to get super cold early to kill a large proportion of pine... (Rapid City Journal, SD)
Asian Longhorned Beetle Threatens State's Forests Oct 14, 2009
Earlier this month, U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors found the beetles in neighboring West Boylston, Mass. concluding from the distribution pattern of the insects that the beetles were carried to the new area in firewood. (FOX61, CT)
Cyborg beetles Oct 14, 2009
Three varieties of beetles have been used in the project ... Fitted with three electrodes, a microbattery and a microcontroller Three beetles used: cotinis texana (2cm long, 0 ... The team at Berkeley have been using beetles from Cameroon as large as the palm of a human hand, which leaves Professor Sharkey slightly puzzled. (BBC News -- Technology)
Infotainment Oct 13, 2009
Beetles, butterflies, plants and other insects from the top of the world to its tip star alongside the scientists who study them in the new Darwin Centre at Londons Natural History Museum. Opened by Britains Prince William last month, the eight-story white cocoon built on the back of the Victorian. (Daily Times, Pakistan)
Oregon project tests Obama forest policy Oct 12, 2009
Young trees have crowded in among the big ones, and an increasing number of the pines are turning red and dying from the borings of mountain pine beetles. The Bush administration had proposed lessening fire dangers by thinning trees around the cabins and also in the backcountry. (MSNBC -- Politics)
Cybug: Wired beetle reaches areas where no man can go Oct 12, 2009
Scientists have developed the cybug part beetle, part machine which they claim is a key breakthrough that will help them direct the flight of beetles for the first time by remote control. The cybug is the work of researchers at the University of California, funded by the Pentagon, who have inserted a radio receiver attached to wires into brains and muscles of large beetles, the Independent reported ... Scientists have developed the 'cybug' which they claim is a key breakthrough... (India Times, India -- Health/Science)
Popular hiking trails closed Oct 12, 2009
"The positive is that we get all the material out of there and we take all of the beetles with it rather than just killing 80 to 85 percent of the brews," Brundige said. It's expensive costing nearly 25 a tree but experts say now is a critical time to prevent further spread of the beetles. (Rapid City Journal, SD)
When removing leaves, rake judiciously Oct 11, 2009
Q. I have had ants in my house, and powder post beetles. I actually saw the beetles and powdery sawdust but saw no holes in the wood floor ... An exterminator got rid of the ants, and the beetles are gone, too. (Boston Globe)
Harvest on its way near Waubay (2) Oct 11, 2009
As far as aphids and bean leaf beetles go, very minimal. . (Sioux Falls Tri-State Neighbor, SD)
Raptor rapture: Rare hawk thrills birders Oct 10, 2009
The usual food source for Swainson s are small mammals such as mice, ground squirrels, rabbits, birds, and reptiles during the breeding season, and insects like grasshoppers, locust, and beetles during the nonbreeding season. Gus Schoenborn Jr. and his infant daughter were also among the observers. (Catskill Daily Mail, NY)
Shedding light on Wallace: Forgotten evolutionist lives in Darwin’s shadow Oct 9, 2009
Often traveling with a lone assistant and enduring monsoons and malaria, Wallace collected more than 125,000 birds, beetles and other animals. Thousands were new to the West, including one he named Wallace s golden bird wing butterfly. (Carroll County Times, MD)
Jenkins is a 'vocal' leader for Tigers' soccer Oct 9, 2009
Some oldies, some Michael Jackson songs, something like the Beetles that everybody knows,; Jenkins said. I start singing and everyone joins in. (Princeton Bureau County Republican, IL)
Nigeria: Bagging Beans Against Beetles Oct 9, 2009
com: Nigeria: Bagging Beans Against Beetles (Page 1 of 1). Bagging Beans Against Beetles ... But the crop is notoriously difficult to store - beetles and other pests can destroy an entire granary full of cowpeas within 12 months. (allAfrica.com)
Scientists race to prevent ash tree's extinction Oct 8, 2009
The adult beetles are relatively harmless and nibble on leaves, but the larvae are deadly ... An infested tree can die within a few years, and the emerging generation of beetles moves to other trees, Widrlechner said. (Anchorage Daily News)
What Life Is According to Biology Oct 8, 2009
Plants, beetles, gasoline, the family dog, river rocks, the living room couch, and the obnoxious uncle are all made up of matter. But this doesn t seem to get us any closer to answering the big question; on the contrary, matter is where to start when looking at life as a whole. (Suite101.com)
Josephine Bakers Rainbow Tribe, Merlind Theile, Spiegel Online Oct 6, 2009
Akio remembers that he and his brothers often caught flying beetles and tied them to strings to keep them from flying away. The children carried them around like balloons. (Harper's Magazine)
Control Plum Curculios in the Organ... Oct 6, 2009
Plum curculio beetles damage many fruits in the organic garden, not just plums ... Plum curculio is a misnomer for this garden insect pest, for these beetles will eat and damage other stone fruits like cherries and peaches, as well as , blueberries, and pears ... Gardeners may also see crescent-shaped entry holes on fruit where beetles laid their eggs. (Suite101.com)
Seven New Luminescent Mushroom Species Discovered Oct 6, 2009
26, 2007) Most modern-day groups of beetles have been around since the time of the dinosaurs and have been diversifying ever since, says new research in Science. Beetles have displayed an exceptional ability. (Science Daily)
Boll Weevils: No Mistaking This Bug With New Insect ID Technique Oct 6, 2009
Boll weevils-long-snouted, 2/10-inch-long beetles that damage cotton's lint-producing bolls-are familiar foes to growers. Indeed, since first being discovered in southern Texas in 1892, the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has caused billions of dollars in losses to U.S. cotton. (Science Daily)
Park, North Fork fires cloud Cody skies Oct 4, 2009
blueshoes wrote on Sep 29, 2009 1:19 PM:" justthink is right, Jodie. It was the suppression of wildfire in Yellowstone, not the "let burn policy" that created that disaster. Had things been left to "let burn", there never would have been the abundance of fuels for that fire. Also, have you been up the North Fork lately? 85-90% is standing dead because of the bark beetles. This infestation is spreading up toward the Park. This burn will help curb that spread. ". LT wrote on Sep 29, 2009 12:53... (Cody Enterprise, WY)
ANGLERS' ALMANAC Oct 3, 2009
Best baits: Storm minnows, sparkle beetles (chartreuse) plastic cockahoes, Gulp. (glo). (Nola.com -- Sports)
Claudia R. Trujillo Oct 1, 2009
Aubrey Green wrote on Sep 25, 2009 2:24 PM:" Claudia was one of the most genuine people I have ever had the pleasure to know. Kind spirited in her yellow submarine. Oh how she loved the Beetles. I remember how she taught my then 4 year old daughter who the Beetles were and cared with her heart of gold for my son in his infant years. You will truly be missed Ms. Claudia. ". Amber Perry wrote on Sep 25, 2009 12:37 PM:" Rest peacefully dear friend. You will be missed by many. ". (Sioux City Journal, IO)
Gov urges feds to help with bark beetle problem Oct 1, 2009
While bark beetles themselves can't be stopped from spreading, they leave behind large stands of dead trees that must be carefully managed to prevent devastating forest fires and allow new trees to grow ... The nearly identical resolutions urged Freudenthal to petition federal officials and Wyoming's congressional delegation for more federal help in combating bark beetles ... The governor said his letter was also meant to draw attention to bark beetles, as the U.S. Senate will likely soon hold... (Casper Star-Tribune, WY)
New Sequencing Technique Could Boost Pine Beetle Fight, Improve Cancer Research Sep 30, 2009
The key to better preparedness for future forest health crises such as the current mountain pine beetle epidemic lies in better understanding of the three main players the trees, the bark beetles and a fungus and their complex interactions, said Bohlmann, Distinguished University Scholar and professor at UBC s Michael Smith Laboratories. The infestation has affected 10 to 14 million hectares of pine forests in British Columbia. (Science Daily)
Mother Knows Best: Females Control Sperm Storage To Pick The Best Father Sep 30, 2009
29, 2007) Female beetles mate to quench their thirst according to new research. The males of some insect species, including certain types of beetles, moths and crickets, produce unusually large ejaculates. (Science Daily)
850 new species discovered living underground Sep 30, 2009
When it came to the water-dwelling stygofauna, dominated at about three-quarters percent of all species, then insects, all beetles, at roughly one-sixth, with other kinds of creatures making up the rest. For the cave-dwelling troglofauna, at about one-half of all species, with insects at about one-quarter and crustaceans and others finishing the list. (MSNBC -- Technology)
Arizona's dying aspens a mystery to scientists Sep 26, 2009
"In some cases, I'm seeing areas where beetles are directly causing the mortality of the aspens," he said. "You look up and see a completely dead overstory," the tree's uppermost canopy. (AZCentral -- News)
Preserve US national parks Sep 25, 2009
As winters warm, for example, tiny mountain pine beetles move farther north and into higher elevations, boring into the bark of whitebark and lodgepole pines and killing them. Large swaths of forest will likely be lost. (Christian Science Monitor)
Grizzly bears like these in Yellowstone Park are now re-listed as a threatened species because of a Montana judges decision Monday. (Yellowstone Park photo) Sep 24, 2009
The courts ruling also makes it clear the Fish ife Service cannot ignore challenges the agency itself identified, such as the likely loss of whitebark pine, an important grizzly food source threatened by pine beetles, blister rust and climate change ... Molloy cited as a key factor in his decision the decline of whitebark pine, which has suffered widespread damage from forest fires, pine beetles and other factors researchers say are exacerbated by a warming climate. (Cody Enterprise, WY)
Environment: First, beat the beetles Sep 24, 2009
Asian longhorned beetles have already caused the destruction of more than 25,000 trees in and around Worcester, but the government s effort to eradicate these invaders has run afoul of environmentalists and beekeepers who fear collateral damage to other insects. Still, the beetles pose an imminent threat to trees all over New England ... The beetles, which likely entered the United States years ago in wood shipping crates or pallets from China, have no natural predator in this country. (Boston Globe)
Where to Buy Bug Halloween Candy On... Sep 24, 2009
Realistic Gummy Bugs, which are fruit-flavored gummy novelty candy bugs shaped like flies, beetles, caterpillars, and spiders. They would make great treats for Halloween trick or treat bags or cute edible decorations on top of Halloween desserts like spooky cupcakes. (Suite101.com)
Bark beetle epidemic spreads Sep 23, 2009
"These beetles can also infest ponderosas," he said ... Dan Tinker, a UW botany and ecology professor, said the pine bark beetles are native to the ecosystem, not some introduced pest ... Short said that clear-cutting trees in the interior forests will have an adverse effect on wildlife such as martens, voles and goshawks and will do little to limit the spread of beetles or wildfires. (Casper Star-Tribune, WY)
Grizzlies don't belong on 'threatened' list Sep 23, 2009
Bark beetles are killing those trees along with other evergreens throughout the region, a problem scientists say is a result of a warming climate. But in spite of those problems, the greater Yellowstone grizzly population is holding up well, and is even growing. (Casper Star-Tribune, WY)
Judge: Yellowstone grizzlies need protection Sep 22, 2009
Molloy cited as a key factor in his decision the decline of whitebark pine, which has suffered widespread damage from forest fires, pine beetles and other factors that researchers say are exacerbated by a warming climate ... Effect of climate changeThe conservation director for the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, Craig Kenworthy, said threats to grizzlies "are likely to accelerate" as climate change intensifies and more tree-killing beetles survive milder winters. (MSNBC -- Environment)
Alien lizard invaders Sep 22, 2009
They gorge on ants, spiders, roaches and beetles, but Campbell sees no upside to the booming browns. More invaders. (Florida Today)
Woman relocates bees to more loving home Sep 20, 2009
Dead bees can leave behind 100 pounds of honey, which draws moths, beetles and mice. The wax in the hive breaks down, combines with fermenting honey and forms a black, nasty oozing mess, she said. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Metro)
Insider: No bees, no food Sep 19, 2009
The proposal comes as a result of research into how to stem the devastation of hardwood trees in the Worcester area thanks to an influx of Asian longhorn beetles. The beetles likely hitched a ride here in boxes shipped from overseas ... Tukey notes that injecting the holes in the trees that have been bored by the beetles is a safer and more effective method of eradicating the beetles. (Kingston Mariner, MA)
An aphid snowstorm covers area again Sep 19, 2009
Ladybird beetles eat these aphids, but the best way to control them is to cut down the hackberry tree. You'll never have to worry about the aphids again, but you may also lose valuable shade. (The Augusta Chronicle)
Invasive species on the march: variable rates of spread set current limits to predictability Sep 18, 2009
To reach their conclusions, they studied red flour beetles--beetles attracted to wheat flour--in experimental, enclosed landscapes with patches of habitat linked together. They collected data from 30 landscapes composed of identical patches of land, all maintained under the same conditions, each initially home to 20 red flour beetles ... Although the landscapes were identical, there were considerable differences in how the beetles spread. (EurekAlert!)
Guest opinion: Keys to energy efficiency Sep 18, 2009
You can count me among those who don't mind fewer 30-below mornings, but unfortunately, the bark beetles seem to love a warmer Montana. We've had a great run on the fossil fuel railroad, and we're not done yet. (Montana Standard, MT)
Purple boxes in the trees Sep 18, 2009
Inside each of the boxes, a pheromone packet attracts the beetles, and a sticky layer catches them, much like in fly traps. The purple color attracts ash borer beetles, which can be a problem for ash trees in the area ... The state is doing a study on those beetles, and prefers to place the traps in quiet, controlled areas. (Casper Star-Tribune, WY)
Insecticide-free Method Studied For Control Of Soybean Aphids Sep 17, 2009
"Lady beetles are affected, for example, and they are a natural enemy of the aphids. So when the aphids come back to a field after spraying, there won't be any lady beetles to naturally control the aphid populations." ... (May 19, 2005) When aphids are attacked by predators such as ladybird beetles, they release an alarm pheromone that has long been known to cause other aphids to walk around or drop from the plant. (Science Daily)
Ailing canna lilies? Divide to conquer Sep 14, 2009
You can also help avoid the pest insects by planting flowers that will attract lady beetles and lacewings, since these insects eat aphids or whiteflies. Gardeners often underestimate how helpful this strategy can be. (San Francisco Chronicle)
