Latest news with #entomologists
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Warning over 'intractable problem' as Australia's fire ant fight faces critical moment
A biological researcher in the United States has warned Australia is at a critical crossroads in its fight to tackle the spread — and hopefully eradicate — the hugely destructive fire ant species. Native to South America, they have well and truly spread north, invading more than a dozen US states and costing the country's economy billions of dollars a year. They've caused havoc on golf courses, private properties and even led to reported deaths in Florida and Texas from severe allergic reactions. A report in USA Today last month even detailed how two species of the invasive ant are crossbreeding, creating an even nastier and hardier bug. It's a bleak picture Australia is desperately hoping to avoid. Mark Hoddle, an entomologist and biological control specialist, has spent years studying fire ants at the University of California. He warns Australia must urgently act to stop them from becoming a permanent fixture of the landscape. "Some entomologists have referred to this perpetual insecticidal war and management plan against fire ants in the US as the Vietnam of entomology. It just seems like an intractable problem," he told ABC radio on Friday. At least in the United States, where they have been for about a century, the prospect of eradication is probably futile, he warned. "It will probably never be winnable with the technology we are currently using," he said. Related: Five colonies of yellow crazy ants detected in Queensland holiday spot According to experts in Australia at the Invasive Species Council (ISC) and the National Fire Ant Eradication Program, if left unchecked the so-called super pest could make itself at home across 97 per cent of the continent, given our climate's suitability to the species. Ultimately, they could do more damage than cane toads, camels, foxes and feral pigs combined. After recent discoveries of fire ants in Queensland, including on one Scenic Rim property where they were found "chewing" on a lawn mower, authorities are urging residents to be vigilant and take precautions. "Fire ants are great stowaways, and they love to get into organic material in particular," Reece Pianta from the ISC told Yahoo News this week. "Empty out the catcher of your mower," he urged. "Don't leave the clippings in there, and clean it down. It's also good advice to clean things that are being moved from place to place." Agricultural minister spruiks nation's biosecurity efforts The federal government is set to contribute some $296 million over the next four years to help fight the fire ant invader, with more money tipped in by the states. Julie Collins, the federal Minister for Agriculture, on Friday hit back at her Coalition counterpart who on Thursday said the federal government wasn't doing enough to stop the spread. "What I would say is that Australia has been quite successful in terms of trying to contain the red imported fire ants compared to how other countries are dealing with it. We have managed to contain the spread of it compared to other countries," he said. In particular, she highlighted the federal government's collaboration with the states as well as efforts to engage the community to raise awareness about the threat, saying biosecurity "is everyone's responsibility". "Part of the program has been the public awareness campaign and making sure that people understand what they are," she said. The federal government is coming under increased pressure to make public the National Fire Ant response plan for 2023 to 2027, which is currently a 'cabinet in confidence' document. The minister would not be drawn on whether it would be made public. "What I'd say is the significant new funding that we have provided to date has allowed the program to expand its reach," she said. "It's put on 350 new workers. There's a new depot, there's new vehicles, new aerial eradication contracts. There's baiting going on. It's doubled the size of the treatment and surveillance area in terms of the existing outbreaks in Australia. We are taking this incredibly seriously."
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Bagworm outbreak threat growing in Ohio, OSU warns
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WJW)— The Ohio State University Extension is warning people in the state to be on high alert for bagworms. The stealthy and destructive pest can severely damage trees and shrubs. More than 80 shots fired at Cleveland block party; 1 killed, 5 injured According to OSU Extension entomologists, bagworms — the larvae of Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis — are hatching now. These caterpillars live inside silk bags camouflaged with pieces of their host plant, which can make them hard to spot in early stages. 'Bagworms are one of the sneakiest general defoliators in Ohio landscapes,' the warning reads. 'By the time damage is visible, infestations may already be significant.' Bagworms are known to feed on a wide range of trees and shrubs, OSU extension said. Each female bagworm can produce between 500 and 1,000 eggs, creating the potential for sudden population booms and widespread outbreaks. The caterpillars often spread via wind. Lottery ticket sold at local Walmart hits top prize OSU recommends inspecting trees now, especially by looking for bags left from last season. Eggs overwinter in the female's bag and hatch in sync with the full bloom of northern catalpa trees (Catalpa speciosa), according to OSU. While insecticides can be effective in controlling young bagworms, the Extension cautions against indiscriminate spraying. Beneficial arthropods — including those that naturally control mites, scale insects and even bagworms — may also be harmed. 'Careful monitoring and early detection are key,' experts said. 'Targeted treatment is the best strategy to reduce impact and protect surrounding vegetation.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Daily Mail
01-06-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Biblical swarm invades multiple US states for the first time in 17 years... see if your hometown is at risk
Hundreds of billions of screaming insects are emerging from the ground throughout the US in a jarring sight that hasn't taken place in 17 years. The long-awaited cicada invasion is here, and the bugs have already been spotted hatching in at least three states: Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee. Scientists are also expecting billions more to emerge at any moment in Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia. This startling awakening of cicadas is referred to as Brood XIV. The insects last appeared in 2008, and now the next window in their synchronized life cycle has come again. The cicadas are hatching as the soil in these states reaches a temperature of about 64° Fahrenheit. The swarm will reach its peak in early June. Heavily infested areas with plenty of tree-covered land will likely see more than a million bugs per acre. While entomologists (scientists studying insects) say these creatures are harmless, their sheer numbers often frighten people who see these massive broods and hear their loud, shrieking mating calls. For those who can't stand the sight of them, there's an app for that, and scientists are now giving everyone the ability to track (and avoid) Brood XIV's emergence. Brood XIV, which emerge every 17 years, have a distinct look compared to annual cicadas, having black and orange coloring and red eyes. They're about one inch in length after hatching from their eggs and have a wingspan of roughly three inches when fully grown. The cicadas Americans see on a yearly basis throughout the country are typically green, brown, or gray with darker markings. Brood XIV is one of a dozen cicada broods which sprout from the ground throughout the US every 17 years. Each group is on its own schedule, with one brood emerging last year and another expected to hatch in 2029. Brood XIV is one of the most widespread hatchings throughout the US, covering 13 states with billions of insects. Only Brood X, which hatched in 2024, spreads across more states every 17 years, covering 16 states. Dr Gene Kritsky, a noted entomologist at Mount St Joseph University in Ohio, helped to develop the Cicada Safari app to track emergences. It's available on both iPhones and Android devices. 'Periodical cicadas are more than just a natural marvel,' Kritsky said in a statement in February. 'They are bugs of history and their emergences inform us about land use and climate.' To his point, these periodic cicada swarms have been written about for centuries, but not always positively. In 1634, the governor of Plymouth Colony, William Bradford, compared the sight of a cicada swarm to flies that were as big as bumblebees. He added that the brood 'soon made such a constant yelling noise' which was deafening to the American settlers. Brood XIV males produce loud, synchronized mating calls that can reach up to 100 decibels - that's as loud as a leaf blower, a rock concert or nightclub, or a chainsaw. 'It's one of the most annoying sounds ever,' one person posted on X Monday while recording the mating calls. For those who can't wait for Brood XIV to move on, they won't have to wait long. The life span of these cicadas is just two to four weeks. That means the billions and billions of fresh insects emerging throughout the US this spring will actually be dead by July. In that short window, Brood XIV cicadas will have mated, laid eggs, and died. After death, their bodies decompose and contribute nutrients to the soil. Specifically, the cicada remains add nitrogen to the soil, acting as a natural fertilizer for forests, grasslands, and even compost piles if collected. This boosts plant growth and supports local forests. The mass emergence of Brood XIV also provides local wildlife, including birds, squirrels, raccoons, reptiles, and even fish with an abundant food source. This helps certain species boost their own populations, as the animals aren't struggling to find food or avoid predators - who are also snacking on the cicada swarm. If pets consume several of the cicadas, they may experience temporary upset stomach or vomiting, but owners don't have to worry about their cat or dog eating an occasional cicada they find outside as eating them is considered harmless. That's because the insects do not bite, sting, carry diseases, or secrete any toxins that would make animals sick after ingestion. For humans, experts say the best thing to do until Brood XIV is gone is close the windows, use a white noise machine to drown out their mating calls, and cover any young trees with a fine mesh net. This will keep the cicadas from laying their eggs in your new tree, which will then become the next home of Brood XIV in 2042.
Forbes
19-05-2025
- Health
- Forbes
World Bee Day 2025: Bees Are The Unsung Heroes Of Sustainability
Close up of bee hive Every year on May 20, the world celebrates World Bee Day, a global call to recognize the vital role bees and other pollinators play in keeping our ecosystems alive and our plates full. This year's theme is noted as 'Bee Inspired by Nature to Nourish Us All' abd was set by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. This emphasizes their indispensable role in food security, nutrition, and biodiversity. According to the FAO, pollinators are responsible for the reproduction of over 75% of the world's food crops. That includes staples of our daily lives, but while they support billions of dollars in agricultural productivity, these tiny miracle workers are under threat. Bee populations are declining at alarming rates. The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services reports that nearly 40% of invertebrate pollinator species, particularly bees and butterflies, face extinction. According to entomologists at Washington State University, U.S. commercial honey bee colonies could suffer losses of up to 70% in 2025, a sharp rise from the 40–50% annual losses typically seen over the past decade. These record-breaking declines, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, pose a serious threat to agriculture, as honey bee pollination supports 35% of the world's food crops. The causes are human-driven: pesticide overuse, habitat loss, monocultures, invasive species, and climate change. A 2022 Harvard Study found that inadequate pollination is already responsible for a 3–5% drop in global fruit and vegetable production, linked to an estimated 427,000 premature deaths each year due to nutrition-related diseases. These related deaths include heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and certain cancers, according to research led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. A honeybee (Apis mellifera) sips nectar from an aster in a butterfly garden. Despite these alarming trends, some countries are rising to the occasion. Slovenia, where World Bee Day originated, has made beekeeping a national priority, regulating pesticide use and promoting pollinator-friendly practices. They also started the Golden Bee Award which is a national award for outstanding achievements in the conservation and protection of bees and other pollinators. The United States is also mobilizing. According to the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators, U.S. states are leading the charge to protect pollinators through legislative action. In 2022, states like Colorado, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Vermont passed laws to safeguard native pollinators, and by 2023, at least 20 states introduced habitat restoration bills, while 24 states proposed limits on toxic pesticide use. These actions are helping to restore ecosystems, protect food systems, and offer economic lifelines to communities dependent on agriculture and apiculture. Grace, an MIT-trained engineer and founder of Ecofarms Jamaica—a social enterprise creating jobs, ... More especially for people with disabilities, through sustainable honey farming. Choose flowering plants that are local to your region and bloom at staggered intervals. In the U.S., milkweed supports monarch butterflies, while bee balm and goldenrod attract native bees. Even balconies and rooftops can become vital feeding grounds in urban areas like in Paris and Toronto, which have turned rooftops into thriving pollinator habitats. Neonicotinoids are a class of neurotoxic insecticides that disrupt the central nervous system of insects, and are widely linked to bee population declines due to their persistence in soil and plants. These have been linked to widespread bee mortality and are banned in the European Union. Use organic alternatives like neem oil, and if chemical treatment is necessary, apply them during times when pollinators are less active, such as early morning or late evening. Buying raw, local honey not only benefits your health but also sustains ethical beekeepers who maintain healthy hives. Farmers markets often feature small producers who reinvest in local ecosystems. Advocate for stronger regulations on harmful pesticides and for the protection of wild habitats. Support initiatives like the U.S. Pollinator-Friendly Plant Labeling Act which directs the United States Department of Agriculture to create a voluntary certification program for plants that support pollinators, requiring them to be native, pesticide-free, and beneficial to pollinator habitats. Certified plants must meet strict criteria and labeling standards to ensure transparency from farm to retailer. Bees do not just make honey, they make life possible. Their silent, unpaid labor underpins food systems, biodiversity, and human survival and if we do not act with urgency, we risk destabilizing the very foundations of our ecosystems. World Bee Day 2025 is not just symbolic but it is a reminder that sustainability starts at the soil level, in gardens and fields, on rooftops and windowsills. Protecting bees means protecting the planet and ourselves.
