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HAVE YOU EVER STOPPED TO WONDER WHY WE DON'T STUMBLE UPON MORE DEAD THINGS IN NATURE? It may be a gruesome thought, but with all the small mammals and birds [...]

2024 DEC 14 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week -- Data detailed on Genomics and Genetics have been presented. According to news [...]

This article discusses the process of metamorphosis in insects. It explains that some insects, like dragonflies, crickets, and praying mantises, resemble their parents when they hatch and go through three stages of development. Most insects, however, go through four stages, including egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The article also mentions that some insects, such as flies, beetles, butterflies, and moths, have different names for their larvae and pupae. It provides specific examples of the life cycles of dragonflies and ladybugs, highlighting the various stages of growth and transformation. [Extracted from the article]

The article from New Scientist reviews the stunning creatures that have been discovered in 2024, showcasing a variety of animals from around the world. Some highlights include the world's fluffiest beetle, a rare blue magnificent tree frog from Australia, and the yellow-crested helmetshrike from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Additionally, African giant pouched rats were trained to detect trafficked items, and new species like Chaunacops coloratus were found off the coast of Chile. [Extracted from the article]

IF YOU'VE GARDENED VERY long, chances are you've lost at least a plant or two to pests such as the tomato hornworm, aphids, flea beetles, blister beetles, and more. Some [...]

IN THIS ISSUE FOREVER YOUNG TRILOBITE BEETLE The prehistoric-looking insect that never grows up Nick Baker’s HIDDEN WORLD The popular naturalist, author and TV presenter reveals a secret realm of [...]

Summer McIntosh, born on August 18, 2006, is a Canadian swimmer who has achieved success at a young age. She is known for her ability to balance the simplicity and complexity of swimming. McIntosh made her senior-level debut as a teenager and competed in the 2021 Olympic Games, finishing fourth. She has since won medals at the World Championships and Commonwealth Games, broken world records, and continues to strive for success in her swimming career. McIntosh's achievements have solidified her reputation as an up-and-coming star in the sport. [Extracted from the article]

Ladybugs are beetles that come in different colors, such as red, orange, or yellow. In the United States, a common ladybug has red wings and seven black dots. Ladybugs have two sets of wings, with one set forming a hard outer shell for protection and the other set being soft wings used for flying. The bright colors and patterns of ladybugs serve as a warning to predators to stay away. Animals that eat ladybugs include birds, frogs, wasps, spiders, and dragonflies. The text also mentions owls, cheetahs, sea turtles, and butterflies, and prompts readers to consider how animals benefit from their own patterns and colors. [Extracted from the article]

IN THIS ISSUE Pie-Dish Beetle Pursues Longer Life —John Kinsella I know of only one pie-dish beetleactively pursuing a longer lifebut there may have beenand probably are still othersdeterminedly engaged [...]

Byline: Will Salmon The new All Along the Watchtower series is a murder mystery in the Justice League's HQ The first issue of DC's hotly-anticipated Justice League Unlimited is just [...]

Discover MORE / Your LETTERS Why do I keep finding upside-down beetles? WE OFTEN COME ACROSS DOR beetles on our morning walk through local woods. They are easy to spot, [...]

The article focuses on the declining fur prices in recent years and trappers' efforts to maximize income by utilizing more parts of the animals they catch, such as selling skulls and feet. Topics include the impact of the pandemic on the global fur market, geopolitical factors affecting fur production, and trappers' adaptation to the changing market by exploring alternative revenue streams from animal parts.

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Aug 22, 2024 An insect that has been navigating using the Milky Way for 130 million years is now inspiring innovations in drone, robot, and satellite navigation [...]

* DC STUDIOS AND WARNER BROS. Animation are developing an animated series centered on DC superhero Blue Beetle, which will begin where the 2023 live-action film left off. The plot [...]

2024 JUL 6 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week -- According to news reporting based on a preprint abstract, our journalists obtained [...]

IN THIS ISSUE / Animals and the environment Beetles helped by backpacks GLOBAL CRITTERS There are around 400,000 known species of beetle in the world. One of the beetles with [...]

One of the final movies to be released during the DC Extended Universe era of the (https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2566174/watch-dc-movies-in-order-chronological-canon) DC movies in order was Blue Beetle, which starred Xolo Mariduea as Jaime [...]

Blue Beetle is coming to the small screen in an animated series in development at Warner Bros. Animation and DC Studios. The project comes from Miguel Puga (The Casagrandes), who [...]

IN THIS ISSUE / NATURE SPY Male stag beetles do battle From May until early July, male stag beetles fight each other in order to win a female mate. They [...]

JUNE IN THE COUNTRY / THIS MONTH’S HIGHLIGHTS / June IN THE COUNTRY SPOT Stag beetle show This monster insect emerges now By Adele Brand Stag beetles use their massive [...]

IN THIS ISSUE / Mike Dilger’s WILDLIFE SPECTACLES DISPLAYING FIREFLIES BLINDED BY THE LIGHT On balmy evenings, amorous beetles put on a spellbinding show in North American forests Thousands of [...]

The article presents the case of the hammer beam roof of Westminster Hill in London, England when a beetle, whose wood boring threatened to bring the entire edifice on the brink of collapse, in the late summer 1917. It describes the damage discovered on the roof during an inspection of the timbers in 1913. It highlights the work done by Harold Maxwell-Lefroy, professor of economic entomology at Imperial College in London, and his team to get rid of the beetles using a high-grade pesticide.

In Drilini with heliciphagous larvae (Coleoptera, Elateridae, Agrypninae), it is customary to recognize the existence of hypermetamorphosis characterized by two larval forms: active and hairy primary larva assuring the growth of the individual and the inactive and hairless secondary larva which takes no food and is called prepupa. Our observations on Malacogaster passerinii in Morocco reveal the presence in both sexes of an intermediary form with respect to the two precedent larvae. It is therefore necessary to speak of three successive larval forms: 1 - The primary free and active larva which feeds on several snails and lives for two or three years; two other larval forms which take no food and undergo moulting in the shell of the last consumed snail. They correspond to: 2 - The secondary larva of lighter colour and with less hair than the primary larva, and 3 - The totally glabrous tertiary larva called prepupa. The considerable sexual dimorphism concerning the Drilini is already present in the primary larva of M. passerinii. The primary larva and the secondary larva differ in size: the female larvae are bigger than the males. The subsequent instars (tertiary larva, pupa) differ both in form and size. The imagoes are dimorphic: the female is larviform, wingless and large in size; the male is winged and is small. Apart from the primary larva which is free, the other instars or development take place entirely within the empty shell of the snail which has served as a final meal for the primary larva having reach the final stage of its growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wingless larviform females of Malacogaster nigripes have limited mobility and, shortly after their emergency, thanks to their sex pheromone, they attract the winged males in order to be impregnated. Their antennae allow them to detect the aphrodisiac substance produced by the male antennae during copulation in their relatively short lives. Female activity being closer to that of the larvae than to that of the males, it was interesting to observe their antennal sensory equipment and to compare it to that of the larvae and of adult males. The female antennae are composed of 7 antennomeres with adult characteristics, and of an 8th antennomere with larval characteristics. The sensilla observed on the first 7 antennomeres are Böhm sensilla with a proprioceptrice function, a type of aporous sensilla chaetica C1 with a tactile function, 2 types of sensilla chaetica with a terminal pore C2 and C3 with a gustatory function, 5 types of sensilla basiconica, notably multiporous sensilla B1 and B2 with an olfactory function. The number of sensilla and basiconica on the antennomeres of adult type in the female is 160 per antenna. These types are present on the male antenna which, with its 4020 sensilla, possesses 25 times more sensilla. The 8th antennomere morphologically resembles the 3rd larval antennomere: the two antennomeres have in common the terminal sensillum chaeticum, a single multiporous long sensillum basiconicum and short sensilla basiconica. The ventral three sensilla styloconica and basiconica and the dorsal sensillum basiconicum, present on the joint membrane between the larval 2nd and 3rd antennomeres, are identical with sensilla observed on the membrane separating the 7th antennomere from the 8th one of the adult female. The multiporous basiconic sensillum complex CSBM characteristic of coleopteran larvae is present both in the larva and the adult female of M. nigripes. The female antennae of M. nigripes and Drilus mauritanicus differ by the number of adult type antennomeres: 11 in Drilus (usual number in Coleopterans), 7 in Malacogaster (an unusual number compared to the 11 antennomeres of male antenna). The terminal antennomere of larval type in the two species has a different form but bears common sensilla: a terminal sensillum chaeticum, a subapical sensillum styloconicum, a multiporous sensillum basiconicum and short sensilla basiconica. It is endowed with a larger number of sensilla in Drilus (16 sensilla) than in Malacogaster (10 sensilla). The perforated plates of exocrine glands, present in males of both species, are extremely rare in the females of Malacogaster but more numerous in Drilus. The persistence of larval characteristics on the female antennae of M. nigripes and D. mauritanicus is a neotenic characteristic. It provides the latter with sensory capacities allowing them to have a predatory behaviour sometimes observed in the females of Drilini but which never exists in the males. The study proposes a hypothesis concerning the biological significance of the presence of a supplementary larval-type antennomere. In the female D. mauritanicus and M. nigripes, their locomotive possibilities being limited, the presence of larval-type sensilla, in particular that of the multiporous basiconic sensillum complex with an olfactory function, would enable the females to lay their eggs near the gastropods which are the preys of their heliciphagous larvae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adult male antennae of Coleoptera Elateridae Drilini (Drilus sp., Malacogaster sp., Selasia sp.) are not simply sensory organs; they are also important glandular organs by the number of their integumentary exocrine glands. Previously discovered in Drilus mauritanicus and Malacogaster passerinii, the perforated plates associated with these glands have also been examined in many species of Drilus sp., Malacogaster nigripes and the African genus Selasia sp. The male antennae of all these species carry on both faces numerous circular sponge-shaped plates which correspond to the integumentary glands (number per antenna: about 800 perforated plates in Drilus flavescens). They are present but less numerous on the clypeus, the labrum, the maxillary palps and the hindlegs of some male individuals. Exceptionally, some rare glands have been discovered on the female antenna in M. passerinii. Their shape does not differ between the three genera but is related to their geographic location, as in D. flavescens. The perforated the plates have been described in other coleopterans but only in the Drilini do they cover the whole flagellum. They have not been mentioned in other Elateridae. An aphrodisiac function is supposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The males of Malacogaster are difficult to observe in nature and to breed. An experience was carried out at Oualidia (Atlantic coast of Morocco), during the second fortnight in the month of April 2016, in order to specify the species of Malacogaster present in this locality. Four virgin females attracted 20 males in 15 minutes. All the males have black legs, brown or yellowish brown tibiae and consequently, must be considered as being Malacogaster nigripes Schaufuss, 1867. In view of which, all our articles published since 2008 pertaining Malacogaster passerinii Bassi, 1833 in fact concern M. nigripes. The two species M. nigripes and M passerinii are very close to one another and they differ only in a few morphological details. The genus Malacogaster is taxonomically difficult: the species are variable and their aedea are almost the same. Scanning electron microscopy observations throw light on the appearance of the thorax, elytra and male genitalia of M. nigripes. The mating of M. nigripes is compared to that of Drilus mauritanicus previously described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An unfertilized female of Drilus mauritanicus Lucas 1849, placed in various locations separated from one another by about 20 meters, attracted 21 males in an hour. The chemical attraction of the males thanks to a sexual pheromone produced by the female is more than likely for this species. The production site of this pheromone cannot be precisely identified because the female adopts no particular calling posture for the males. Copulation took place. The fixation of the male and female takes place without the slightest copulatory behaviour beforehand; it lasted 2 hours. The male died the next day. The female laid her eggs at several intervals but most of them were laid in one go. She died after the last laying; 217 eggs were laid altogether. The autopsy revealed that there were still 110 not laid eggs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Drilus mauritanicus, the male is winged and the larviform female is wingless. Therefore, the male has to possess the antennal sensory equipment which allows him to find a sexual partner. Ten sensillum types are distinguished: aporous sensilla chaetica C1, which are contact mechanoreceptors; terminal-pore sensilla chaetica C2 whose function is contact chemoreceptive; multiporous sensilla basiconica of types B1, B2, B4, B6, B7 whose function is olfactive; aporous sensilla basiconica B3 which have a putative thermo-hygroreceptive function, uniporous sensilla basiconica B5 with a gustatory function, and Böhm sensilla which are proprioceptors. The percentages of the principal sensillum types according to their presumed function are as follows: 22% for tactile sensitivity, 77% for olfactive sensitivity, and a mere 1% for gustative sensitivity. The sensilla basiconica B6 and B7, which are reduced in numbers, are abnormal types of sensilla B2. The antennae show a dense spread of olfactive sensilla basiconica on both of their faces with a numerical predominance of the ventral sensilla. The sensilla sensitive to a probable female sexual pheromone are to be found among the sensilla B1 and B2 which are the most numerous sensilla on the male antennae. Malacogaster passerinii possesses similar sensilla chaetica C1 and C2, sensilla basiconica B1 and B2, B4 and B6 but also its own sensilla basiconica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mouthparts of the predatory primary larvae of two Coleoptera Drilini, Drilus mauritanicus Lucas 1849 and Malacogaster passerinii Bassi 1833, were studied by means of scanning electron microscopy in order to confirm the conformity of their morphology and sensory equipment with the heliciphagous diet of these larvae. The arc-shaped mandibles are perforating and channelled; with a single tooth and without masticatory zone, they facilitate the aspiration of nutritive liquids. The 4-segmented maxillary palps and the 2-segmented labial palps are characterised by the reduction of some of their segments. Most of the sensilla in the sensory slits of the maxillary and labial palps of D. mauritanicus are uniporous sensilla basiconica with a gustatory function. Like other heliciphagous coleopteran larvae (Carabidae), the Drilini possess more sensilla on their palps than phytophagous species. The sensilla digitiformia of the labial palps appear to have a mechanoreceptive function in order to inform the larvae as to the direction of the vibratory stimuli produced by the approach of a predator. The labrum is practically devoid of sensilla unlike the other larvae of Coleoptera which possess characteristic aporous sensilla chaetica. The labrum, the mandibular canals, the base of the mandibles, the galeae and the labium are all equipped with filtering apparatuses useful for larvae whose nourishment is liquid. Some of these filtering apparatuses serve as brushes to clean the shell of the snail after ingesting the latter by predatory larvae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary larvae of the Coleoptera Drilini Malacogaster paserinii introduce it into the shells of certain snails and devour their inhabitants but, beforehand, they have to find their victims. The antennae of these larvae, thanks to their sensory equipment, are the principal organs involved in this aim. The antennal sensilla are studied here by scanning electron microscope in order to compare them with the other heliciphagous species present in an allied biotope and previously described, Drilus mauritanicus. The function of the sensilla is established in relation to the information acquired from oher species of Coleoptera. The sensillum typs are common to the two Drilini: sensilla chaetica, campaniforùmia, basiconica and styloconica, and occupy identical positions on the three antennomeres. The larger number of sensilla in M. passerinii (33 per antenna) compared to D. mauritanicus (28 per antenna) is due to the number of sensilla chaetica. Apart from a few esceptions, the morphological types of sensilla basiconica of the two Drilini are similar. The total number of sensilla of both of these predatory species is larger than in most of the other Coleoptera. The multiporous basiconic sensillum complex (CSBM) with an olfactive function is largely developed in the two predators for which the olfactive search of prey is essential. The morphology and the sensory equipment of the larval antennae make it impossible to distinguish the two genera, Malacogaster and Drilus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

set by Brian Hobbs [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

—WENDY HELFENBAUM LAST YEAR,THREE of my balsam fir trees looked awful—brown needles, tunnels in the bark, piles of sawdust near the roots. A local arborist identified a sawyer longhorn beetle [...]

James Woodford THIS fluffy find could be the world’s furriest beetle. It was spotted by entomologist James Tweed from the University of Queensland, Australia, when he was camping in 2021 [...]

News Zoology World’s hairiest beetle An eye-catching insect found in Australia is impressively coiffed James Woodford THIS fluffy find could be the world’s furriest beetle. It was spotted by entomologist [...]

2024 MAR 2 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week -- Investigators discuss new findings in Obesity, Fitness and Wellness. According to news [...]

The article "Photos of the week" from Week Junior features a collection of images taken by children, including a winter scene, a dramatic beetle, a llama at Whipsnade Zoo, a monkey at the Red Fort in Delhi, a baby toad, and a reflection of St Paul's Cathedral in London. The photos showcase diverse perspectives and subjects captured by young photographers, inviting readers to appreciate the creativity and unique viewpoints of children. Readers are encouraged to submit their own photos for a chance to be featured in the magazine and receive a Roving Reporter badge. [Extracted from the article]

"Empire of the Ants" is a video game that features detailed graphics of normal-sized ants in a tiny world rendered with Unreal Engine 5. The game, inspired by the 1991 novel "Les Fourmis" by Bernard Werber, focuses on controlling different types of ants in combat scenarios similar to Nintendo's Pikmin. While the game showcases impressive visuals and unique gameplay mechanics, some aspects like unintuitive interfaces and repetitive missions have been criticized. [Extracted from the article]

The largest rainforest is on the continent of South America. It is part of nine countries! This spot is called the Amazon rainforest.In this rainforest, it rains nearly every day. Many animals live there. Some are on this page.AMAZON RAINFORESTBLUE MORPHO BUTTERFLYSPINY DEVIL KATYDIDGIANT OTTERFind South America on the back page of your magazine.TITAN BEETLEHOATZINSAY MY NAME: HOTE-zinPHOTO (COLOR)PHOTO (COLOR)PHOTO (COLOR)PHOTO (COLOR)PHOTO (COLOR)PHOTO (COLOR)PHOTO (COLOR)PHOTO (COLOR) [Extracted from the article]

The "Quiz of the week" from Week Junior covers a range of topics, including geography, weather, wildlife, literature, and pop culture. Questions range from identifying the location of Notre-Dame cathedral to trivia about famous figures like Malala Yousafzai and Greta Thunberg. The quiz also includes questions about popular books like The Hobbit and The Lion King, as well as fun facts about wrapping paper usage in the UK and the heaviest beetle in the UK. [Extracted from the article]

The article reports that Muddy Waters and Chrissie Hynde, among other musicians, have played guitars made of "swamp ash," a lightweight wood that grows in Mississippi River lowlands and gives a warm, clear sound and seasonal flooding exacerbated by climate change. It also mentions lumber companies to reach standing trees as well as the looming threat of an invasive tree-boring beetle and expect global warming to continue to make floods worse.

For instance, females of some cabbage butterfly species reflect UV rays from their wings. Sashaying Spider A male peacock spider struts in front of a female. Pass the Earplugs To snag females' attention, male cicadas produce loud noises - like, really loud. [Extracted from the article]

From an idea that started simply as a way to connect with like-minded petrolheads while working out in the Middle East, McGovern has turned his themed car meets into one of the UK's most recognisable automotive venues. McGovern moved his life back to the UK in 2017, brought the 912 out of hibernation and set up shop in the building that would become today's Caffeine & Machine, within a stone's throw of some of the biggest names in the automotive sector. [Extracted from the article]

A new species of beetle, named Excastra albopilosa, has been discovered in Australia. The beetle, found by entomologist James Tweed, is approximately 1 centimeter long and covered in thick hair, particularly on the top half of its body. It belongs to the longhorn beetle family, but there is no known comparable species. The discovery has been published in the Australian Journal of Taxonomy. [Extracted from the article]

IN THIS ISSUE / Nick Baker’s HIDDEN WORLD THE GREAT PRETENDER LEISTOTROPHUS VERSICOLOR When war breaks out on the dung heap, these insects mimic the opposite sex to avoid big [...]

The article "Insect Secrets" from National Geographic Kids explores fascinating facts about various insects. From tiger beetles running at incredible speeds to ladybugs consuming thousands of insects in their lifetime, the piece sheds light on the unique behaviors and characteristics of these creatures. Readers can also learn about the intriguing tactics used by insects like Luna moths, leafcutter ants, and bombardier beetles to survive in their environments. [Extracted from the article]

SORTING The world is filled with lots of bugs. They can be different colors, shapes, and sizes. What bugs have you seen where you live?Color Me BeautifulBugs come in many different colors. Draw a line to match each bug with its color.Giraffe WeevilButterflyMint BeetlePraying MantisBlueRedGreenYellowPlay a BUG GAME!natgeolittlekids.com/marchFliers and CrawlersSome of these bugs have wings, but others do not. Circle the bugs with wings.PHOTO (COLOR)PHOTO (COLOR)PHOTO (COLOR)PHOTO (COLOR)PHOTO (COLOR) [Extracted from the article]