Latest news with #LarsVilhelmsen
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Ancient wasp snatched prey like Venus flytrap, scientists say
An ancient wasp may have zipped among the dinosaurs, with a body like a Venus flytrap to seize and snatch its prey, scientists reported Wednesday. The parasitic wasp's abdomen boasts a set of flappy paddles lined with thin bristles, resembling "a small bear trap attached to the end of it," said study co-author Lars Vilhelmsen from the Natural History Museum of Denmark. Scientists uncovered over a dozen female wasps preserved in 99-million-year-old amber from the Kachin region in northern Myanmar. The wasp's flaps and teeth-like hairs resemble the structure of the carnivorous Venus flytrap plant, which snaps shut to digest unsuspecting insects. But the design of the wasp's getup made scientists think its trap was designed to cushion, not crush. Instead, researchers suggested the flytrap-like structure was used to hold a wriggly insect still while the wasp laid an egg, depositing a baby wasp to feed on and drain its new host. "We imagine it would have waited with the apparatus open, ready to pounce as soon as a potential host activated the capture response," lead researcher Qiong Wu said, according to the BBC. It's a playbook adapted by many parasitic wasps, including modern-day cuckoo and bethylid wasps, to exploit insects. But no known wasp or any other insect does so with bizarre flaps quite like this one. Researchers from Capital Normal University in Beijing said "nothing similar is known from any other insect," according to the BBC. "I've seen a lot of strange insects, but this has to be one of the most peculiar-looking ones I've seen in a while," said entomologist Lynn Kimsey from the University of California, Davis, who was not involved with the research. Scientists named the new wasp Sirenobethylus charybdis, partly for the sea monster from Greek mythology that stirred up wild whirlpools by swallowing and expelling water. The new study was published in the journal BMC Biology and included researchers from Capital Normal University and the Beijing Xiachong Amber Museum in China. It's unclear when the wasp went extinct. Studying unusual insects like this one can help scientists understand what insects are capable of and how different they can be. "We tend to think that the cool things are only found today," said Gabriel Melo, a wasp expert at the Federal University of Paraná in Brazil, who had no role in the study. "But when we have this opportunity, we see that many really exceptional, odd things already happened." Freed Israeli hostages call for end to war, to bring remaining Gaza hostages home What is the future of the Kennedy Center? Elton John, Brandi Carlile on their dream collaboration
CBS News
31-03-2025
- Science
- CBS News
Scientists discover ancient wasp that snatched prey like a Venus flytrap, name it after mythological sea monster
An ancient wasp may have zipped among the dinosaurs, with a body like a Venus flytrap to seize and snatch its prey, scientists reported Wednesday. The parasitic wasp's abdomen boasts a set of flappy paddles lined with thin bristles, resembling "a small bear trap attached to the end of it," said study co-author Lars Vilhelmsen from the Natural History Museum of Denmark. Scientists uncovered over a dozen female wasps preserved in 99-million-year-old amber from the Kachin region in northern Myanmar. The wasp's flaps and teeth-like hairs resemble the structure of the carnivorous Venus flytrap plant, which snaps shut to digest unsuspecting insects. But the design of the wasp's getup made scientists think its trap was designed to cushion, not crush. Instead, researchers suggested the flytrap-like structure was used to hold a wriggly insect still while the wasp laid an egg, depositing a baby wasp to feed on and drain its new host. "We imagine it would have waited with the apparatus open, ready to pounce as soon as a potential host activated the capture response," lead researcher Qiong Wu said, according to the BBC . It's a playbook adapted by many parasitic wasps, including modern-day cuckoo and bethylid wasps, to exploit insects. But no known wasp or any other insect does so with bizarre flaps quite like this one. Researchers from Capital Normal University in Beijing said "nothing similar is known from any other insect," according to the BBC. "I've seen a lot of strange insects, but this has to be one of the most peculiar-looking ones I've seen in a while," said entomologist Lynn Kimsey from the University of California, Davis, who was not involved with the research. Scientists named the new wasp Sirenobethylus charybdis, partly for the sea monster from Greek mythology that stirred up wild whirlpools by swallowing and expelling water. The new study was published in the journal BMC Biology and included researchers from Capital Normal University and the Beijing Xiachong Amber Museum in China. It's unclear when the wasp went extinct. Studying unusual insects like this one can help scientists understand what insects are capable of and how different they can be. "We tend to think that the cool things are only found today," said Gabriel Melo, a wasp expert at the Federal University of Paraná in Brazil, who had no role in the study. "But when we have this opportunity, we see that many really exceptional, odd things already happened."
NBC News
31-03-2025
- Science
- NBC News
A Venus flytrap wasp? Scientists uncover an ancient insect preserved in amber that snatched its prey
NEW YORK — An ancient wasp may have zipped among the dinosaurs, with a body like a Venus flytrap to seize and snatch its prey, scientists reported Wednesday. The parasitic wasp's abdomen boasts a set of flappy paddles lined with thin bristles, resembling 'a small bear trap attached to the end of it,' said study co-author Lars Vilhelmsen from the Natural History Museum of Denmark. Scientists uncovered over a dozen female wasps preserved in 99-million-year-old amber from the Kachin region in northern Myanmar. The wasp's flaps and teeth-like hairs resemble the structure of the carnivorous Venus flytrap plant, which snaps shut to digest unsuspecting insects. But the design of the wasp's getup made scientists think its trap was designed to cushion, not crush. Instead, researchers suggested the flytrap-like structure was used to hold a wriggly insect still while the wasp laid an egg, depositing a baby wasp to feed on and drain its new host. It's a playbook adapted by many parasitic wasps, including modern-day cuckoo and bethylid wasps, to exploit insects. But no known wasp or any other insect does so with bizarre flaps quite like this one. 'I've seen a lot of strange insects, but this has to be one of the most peculiar-looking ones I've seen in a while,' said entomologist Lynn Kimsey from the University of California, Davis, who was not involved with the research. Scientists named the new wasp Sirenobethylus Charybdis, partly for the sea monster from Greek mythology that stirred up wild whirlpools by swallowing and expelling water. The new study, which was published in the journal BMC Biology, involved researchers from Capital Normal University and the Beijing Xiachong Amber Museum in China. It's unclear when the wasp went extinct. Studying unusual insects like this one can help scientists understand what insects are capable of and how different they can be. 'We tend to think that the cool things are only found today,' said Gabriel Melo, a wasp expert at the Federal University of Paraná in Brazil, who had no role in the study. 'But when we have this opportunity, we see that many really exceptional, odd things already happened.'
Arab News
30-03-2025
- Science
- Arab News
A Venus flytrap wasp? Scientists uncover an ancient insect preserved in amber that snatched its prey
NEW YORK: An ancient wasp may have zipped among the dinosaurs, with a body like a Venus flytrap to seize and snatch its prey, a new study says. The parasitic wasp's abdomen boasts a set of flappy paddles lined with thin bristles, resembling 'a small bear trap attached to the end of it,' said study co-author Lars Vilhelmsen from the Natural History Museum of Denmark. Scientists uncovered over a dozen female wasps preserved in 99-million-year-old amber from the Kachin region in northern Myanmar. The wasp's flaps and teeth-like hairs resemble the structure of the carnivorous Venus flytrap plant, which snaps shut to digest unsuspecting insects. But the design of the wasp's getup made scientists think its trap was designed to cushion, not crush. Instead, researchers suggested the flytrap-like structure was used to hold a wriggly insect still while the wasp laid an egg, depositing a baby wasp to feed on and drain its new host. It's a playbook adapted by many parasitic wasps, including modern-day cuckoo and bethylid wasps, to exploit insects. But no known wasp or any other insect does so with bizarre flaps quite like this one. 'I've seen a lot of strange insects, but this has to be one of the most peculiar-looking ones I've seen in a while,' said entomologist Lynn Kimsey from the University of California, Davis, who was not involved with the research. Scientists named the new wasp Sirenobethylus charybdis, partly for the sea monster from Greek mythology that stirred up wild whirlpools by swallowing and expelling water. The new study was published in the journal BMC Biology and included researchers from Capital Normal University and the Beijing Xiachong Amber Museum in China. It's unclear when the wasp went extinct. Studying unusual insects like this one can help scientists understand what insects are capable of and how different they can be. 'We tend to think that the cool things are only found today,' said Gabriel Melo, a wasp expert at the Federal University of Paraná in Brazil, who had no role in the study. 'But when we have this opportunity, we see that many really exceptional, odd things already happened.'
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists discover dinosaur-era wasp that used its rear end to kill
Scientists have discovered a new species of ancient wasp, encased in 99-million-year-old amber, that may have lived alongside dinosaurs. The remarkable insect, found in northern Myanmar, possesses a unique abdomen resembling a Venus flytrap, likely used to capture prey. This parasitic wasp, unearthed from the Kachin region, displays a set of bristled, paddle-like appendages on its rear end. Lars Vilhelmsen, co-author of the study from the Natural History Museum of Denmark, described the unusual feature as "a small bear trap attached to the end of it". While the structure bears a striking resemblance to the carnivorous Venus flytrap plant, researchers believe its function differed significantly. Instead of crushing its prey, the wasp's flytrap-like abdomen likely served as a restraining device. The flaps and teeth-like hairs are thought to have held struggling insects in place while the wasp deposited an egg. This would allow the wasp larva to feed on and ultimately consume the captured host. It's a playbook adapted by many parasitic wasps, including modern-day cuckoo and bethylid wasps, to exploit insects. But no known wasp or any other insect does so with bizarre flaps quite like this one. 'I've seen a lot of strange insects, but this has to be one of the most peculiar-looking ones I've seen in a while,' said entomologist Lynn Kimsey from the University of California, Davis, who was not involved with the research. Scientists named the new wasp Sirenobethylus charybdis, partly for the sea monster from Greek mythology that stirred up wild whirlpools by swallowing and expelling water. The new study was published in the journal BMC Biology and included researchers from Capital Normal University and the Beijing Xiachong Amber Museum in China. It's unclear when the wasp went extinct. Studying unusual insects like this one can help scientists understand what insects are capable of and how different they can be. 'We tend to think that the cool things are only found today," said Gabriel Melo, a wasp expert at the Federal University of Paraná in Brazil, who had no role in the study. "But when we have this opportunity, we see that many really exceptional, odd things already happened.'
