Ants are eusocial insects of the family Formicidae within the order Hymenoptera, which also includes bees and wasps. They are characterized by a distinct petiole forming a narrow waist between the mesosoma and gaster, elbowed antennae, and caste differentiation into reproductive queens and males and typically wingless sterile workers. Ants exhibit complex colony organization with division of labor, cooperative brood care, and sophisticated chemical communication via pheromones. Their ecological roles include soil modification, seed dispersal, predation, mutualisms (e.g., with aphids and plants), and scavenging, making them key model organisms in studies of social evolution, chemical ecology, and community dynamics.
North America's bee populations are in trouble, but don't blame the honey bees. While some people argue that an overabundance of managed honey bees—those raised to help pollinate crops and produce honey—is causing native ...
Ecology
Apr 9, 2026
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Heat can change a honey bee's hormone levels, but only if the bee is alone. New research from MSU entomologist Zachary Huang shows that isolated honey bees experience a rapid hormonal rise when exposed to high temperatures, ...
Plants & Animals
Apr 7, 2026
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11
Cultivating flowering plants for pollinator gardens, commercial farms, or home landscapes often relies on the use of herbicides to manage unwanted weeds. Honeybees are attracted to these locations and play a critical role ...
Ecology
Apr 6, 2026
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Humans are creatures of rhythms. As far as we know, humans have always sung and always danced. We can recognize a song by its rhythm alone, regardless of whether it is played fast or slow.
Plants & Animals
Apr 3, 2026
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31
Every spring, Canadian beekeepers await the arrival of queen bees crucial to their industry. The queens that populate Canadian bee colonies through the season largely do not come from Canada at all.
Plants & Animals
Mar 29, 2026
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101
Wild bumblebees serve as key hosts for acute bee paralysis virus. While the virus appears to cause little harm to bumblebees, infection is usually fatal to honeybees. Until now, it was assumed that honeybees were the key ...
Ecology
Mar 24, 2026
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420
Each year, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is responsible for an estimated 1.1 to 1.4 million deaths worldwide. Now, scientists have found evidence that the spread of AMR isn't always driven by bacteria evolving to resist ...
Cell & Microbiology
Mar 24, 2026
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1694
In recent years, scientists have carefully deciphered details of the honey bee "waggle dance," which is an advanced form of social communication in the animal kingdom. University of California San Diego biologists and their ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 23, 2026
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12
Biological invasions are a major driver of biodiversity loss and invasive pollinators can reshape native plant-pollinator networks. A new study published in the journal NeoBiota reveals that invasive pollinators are fundamentally ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 23, 2026
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121
If you were a bee, how would you choose a flower to land on? You might go to the most beautiful one, as pollination biologists have long suggested that flowers with striking colors attract pollinators more easily. Or perhaps, ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 13, 2026
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