‘Extinct' grasshopper rediscovered
A grasshopper thought to be extinct for four decades has been rediscovered, scientists recently announced in the Journal of Orthoptera Research.
Now known as the Monte Gordo grasshopper, Eyprepocprifas insularis was first discovered in 1980 on São Nicolau, Cape Verde, an archipelago off Africa. Scientists uncovered only one male specimen from 1979 to 1982, though, and they soon declared the species extinct.
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Forbes
15 hours ago
- Forbes
What Are The Best Wildflowers To Attract Bees?
Not all commercial wildflower seed mixes are created equal in the eyes of our insect overlords. Now that summer has finally arrived, people are planting wildflower seed mixes to attract and support the dwindling number and variety of wild bees and other beneficial insect pollinators. Some of us create our own wildflower seed mixes whilst others purchase ready-made commercial seed mixes. Additionally, annual flowering seed mixes are often planted and grown in public gardens, parks, along roadsides, in traffic verges and in other urban areas. Farmers sometimes plant these mixes alongside food crops to enhance pollination. But some of the flower species included in these mixes may not be the most pollinator-friendly. So this raises the question: which wildflowers species are best for supporting our struggling insect friends? Is it best to plant native wildflowers seeds instead of non-natives? Should seed mixes contain only flowering plants, or is including some non-flowering plants in the mix also helpful? An international collaboration of scientists based at institutions throughout the UK and Denmark pondered these same questions. To find some answers, they surveyed 477 scientific papers, field tested four commercially available seed mixes and then developed and field tested two novel experimental wildflower seed mixes of their own by counting the numbers of beneficial pollinators – bumblebees, solitary bees and hoverflies – that visited the wildflowers. It's important to remember that ensuring a continuous and overlapping supply of flowers is essential to supporting a diverse population of wild pollinators, by accommodating different forage preferences and flight periods of different pollinator species. And of course, one mustn't forget the human factor: some of these wildflower seed mixes were simply more aesthetically pleasing to the public. Perhaps surprisingly, the study revealed that seed mixes containing non-native flowering plants along with native species had higher establishment rates and longer flowering periods. The study also finds that of those seed mixes that attracted pollinating insects in higher numbers, a small number of key wildflower species were visited frequently, and these preferred flower species differed between pollinator groups. But because many urban areas are more alike than they are different, are these 'best wildflower' species the same across urban areas in, say, the United States, Canada or Australia? 'The study was carried out in the UK, so the list of species is most appropriate for northern Europe,' the study's senior author, botanist Natasha de Vere, told me in email. Professor de Vere is Professor and Curator of Botany at the Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, where she is an expert on plant-pollinator interactions and the link between biodiversity and human well-being. That said, Professor de Vere and collaborators are still testing their novel wildflower seed mixes in different climates. 'We have just planted one of our seed mixes at the Natural History Museum of Denmark in the Botanical Garden so we can see how well it does in the Danish climate,' Professor de Vere explained in email. Do wildflower seed mixes provide everything that wild pollinators need? 'Annual seed mixes can provide a beautiful and colourful display of flowers in gardens and parks that can help to provide nectar and pollen for pollinators,' Professor de Vere replied in email. 'But seed mixes cannot replace abundant flowering plants within the wider landscape and it is important to think about all the needs of pollinators. As well as sufficient flowers through the year, bees need suitable habitat for foraging such as hollow cavities, bare ground and a range of grass height." You mentioned hoverflies in your study. Do hoverflies have different needs from bees? 'The larvae of different hoverfly species can have very different needs: some are predators on plants, whilst some need ponds or decaying wood,' Professor de Vere said in email. The larvae of other hoverflies are voracious predators of common pest insects, such as aphids. Keeping in mind the sensitivities of bees and the appetites of hoverfly larvae, it is strongly recommended not to use either herbicides or pesticides because these chemicals poison and kill the very insects we are working to protect and support. Based on their findings, the study's authors recommend adding these annual 'pollinator-friendly' wildflower seeds to your mixes to attract and support a variety of beneficial pollinating insects: Lucy Witter, Laura Jones, Abigail Lowe, Will Ritchie, Peter Dennis, Gemma Beatty, and Natasha de Vere (2025). The pick of the plot: An evidence-based approach for selecting and testing suitable plants to use in annual seed mixes to attract insect pollinators, Plants, People, Planet | doi:10.1002/ppp3.70041 © Copyright by GrrlScientist | hosted by Forbes | Socials: Bluesky | CounterSocial | LinkedIn | Mastodon Science | MeWe | Spoutible | SubStack | Threads | Tumblr | Twitter
Bloomberg
15 hours ago
- Bloomberg
Cutting Off Horns Is the Best Protection for Rhinos, Study Finds
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New York Times
15 hours ago
- New York Times
How to Protect Yourself From Saharan Dust
A plume of dust that has traveled across the Atlantic Ocean from the Sahara was affecting air quality in Florida on Thursday and may reach other Southern states by the weekend. Such events occur in the Caribbean and the Gulf Coast region several times a year, and scientists are studying how climate change may affect their frequency and intensity. Here is what research shows about the health effects of Saharan dust exposure, and how people can protect themselves. What is in the dust plume? Dust plumes like this one originate in deserts, in this case, the Sahara. The dust is composed mainly of minerals found in desert sand, including silicates such as quartz. But as they travel, plumes can pick up other pollutants, as well as bacteria, viruses and fungi. Reactions among the pollutants, and between those pollutants and sunlight, can produce additional chemicals as well. What are the effects of exposure? What makes Saharan dust dangerous is that its particles are extremely small, which means they can be inhaled deep into the lungs, irritating and damaging them. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
