Insects

Sciences & Technology

A bit of bling helps insects dazzle their predators

Beyond just looking stunning, shininess may help insects confuse predators to avoid being eaten

Environment

Plant-based glitter outshines plastic alternatives

Glitter microplastics are commonly found in sewage sludge and wastewater, but a new sustainable glitter made from plant cellulose has been developed and has no impact on the environment

Environment

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Q&A

Q&A: How a ‘pooter’ is helping endangered grasshoppers find new homes

Translocation is helping protect the endangered Key’s Matchstick Grasshopper and enhancing ecosystems in south-eastern Australia

Sciences & Technology

You might find a rare species in your backyard

‘Bioblitz’ events like the City Nature Challenge are advancing science and empowering communities to discover species never seen before in some urban areas

Sciences & Technology

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Go Figure

Are you a mosquito magnet? Here’s why and what you can do about it

Some people just seem to attract mosquitoes, but what’s the science behind it? Beer might have something to do with it

Sciences & Technology

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Opinion

Victoria’s new habitat law fails to protect a tiny endangered species

A critically endangered wingless stonefly in Australia could face extinction after the government went against scientific advice

Environment

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Go Figure

Do you have a chorus of crickets in your backyard? Here’s why

There’s an explosion of crickets and other insects in Melbourne, here’s why we should embrace these swarms as a cycle of nature

Sciences & Technology

Air pollution makes it harder for insects to find food and mates

The impact of air pollution particles on insects is greater than previously thought and may be a driver of global declines in insect populations

Sciences & Technology

The wingless grasshopper that could cross Bass Strait, but not the Yarra River

New genomic approaches can track the movement of Australia’s flightless matchstick grasshopper

Sciences & Technology

Insects have more complex immune systems than we thought

Ants, beetles, and all other invertebrates have complex immune systems which can protect their offspring