Spider mites found to avoid leaves where ants have been

Ants may not urinate to mark their territory as dogs do, but the behavior of spider mites might suggest otherwise. Under significant pressure from ants, mites have to choose between safety and risk: staying out of ant territory ...

The evolution of lethal fighting in a spider mite

While fighting over females is common among male animals in the wild, these fights rarely result in death. You can't pass on your genes when you're dead or badly injured. So why do the males in some colonies of the tiny spider ...

Researchers use 'banker plants' to help battle whitefly pests

A U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientist is showing growers how to combat whiteflies and other crop pests by using plants as storehouses for predatory insects that can migrate to cash crops and feed on the pests ...

Mites form friendly societies

For plant-inhabiting predatory mites, living among familiar neighbors reduces stress. This allows individuals to focus on other tasks and be more productive, in particular while they are foraging. The new study by Markus ...

Fertilisers play key role in reducing crop pests

While "preventative medicine" is well-known in human health, it's becoming a buzz word in crop production as researchers discover how the risks of damage by pests and diseases may increase if crops don't get enough nutrients ...

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