Insects
Mini-beast renaturing: A time for local action
Globally, insect numbers are dwindling but University of Melbourne experts say we could help our ecosystem by renaturing mini-beasts in our own urban backyards.
How can we prevent Insect Armageddon?
University of Melbourne geneticist Phil Batterham discusses his work on insecticides and how to develop more effective and sustainable pest control strategies
Secrets of the basket-web spider’s silk
A new study, including the University of Melbourne, reveals the first insights into the evolution and structure of the Australian basket-web spider’s rare silk.
The grasshopper that was lost, then found, is now endangered
After thought to be extinct, the Key’s Matchstick Grasshopper was found; but as its habitat shrinks, University of Melbourne research finds it’s now endangered.
Targeting the bacteria inside insects for improved pest management
New research including the University of Melbourne is targeting essential microorganisms inside insect pests to potentially revolutionise farm pest management.
Rediscovering a ‘lost’ species
A rare insect species, Key’s Matchstick Grasshopper, was thought to be extinct in Victoria but has now been rediscovered by University of Melbourne researchers.
Would cockroaches really survive a nuclear apocalypse?
University of Melbourne experts look at the cockroaches' reputation for resilience and whether they really would survive a nuclear bomb and radiation.
How a termite’s mound filters methane (and what it means for greenhouse gases)
New University of Melbourne research find that although termites produce methane, half of their greenhouse gas emissions are filtered by their mounds.
It’s not just antenna size, but scales that matter for lonely male moths
University of Melbourne research finds some male moths have evolved intricate scale arrangements on their antennae to enhance detection of female sex pheromones
Grasshoppers: The new poster bug for insect conservation
University of Melbourne researchers have discovered Key's matchstick grasshopper is threatened, and are now looking into how it can be reintroduced in Victoria.