Latest news with #entomologists
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- 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.
