For the first time, scientists have documented rice plants actively trapping and killing fall armyworm caterpillars. 

Researchers with the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station found that roughly half of young caterpillars on rice plants become ensnared by microscopic hairs, or trichomes, on an open rice spikelet—where the grain develops—and die when the spikelet later closes.

The researchers hypothesize the insects are drawn to the spikelet by floral scents released from the floret. Published in the journal Ecological Processes, the study opens the door to new research on alternative pest‑control strategies against fall armyworm, an insect that has developed resistance to many chemical controls.

Soils are home to some of the most diverse animal communities on Earth. These animals – including nematodes, springtails, mites, earthworms, spiders and other arthropods – drive decomposition, regulate microbial communities and contribute to nutrient cycling. However, little is known about how these animals’ “trophic diversity” – meaning the variety of feeding activities – is affected by land use and climate. An international research team led by the University of Göttingen has now shown that soil animal communities have greater trophic diversity in agricultural ecosystems and in tropical regions. The study analysed carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios from over 17,000 soil samples, covering 28 major groups of organisms from 456 sites across 19 countries. The results were published in Nature Ecology & Evolution.

A new study by the Garvan Institute of Medical Research has uncovered a hidden mechanism explaining why breast cancer can return many years after successful treatment. Published in Nature Communications, the research revealed rogue cells that change their programming to allow them to divide at a remarkably slow pace, meaning they could form microscopic tumours that silently tick away in distant organs, evading detection for decades.

Scientists from the Natural History Museum, London have described a new genus and species of parasitic wasp found within the Museum’s collections, and named it as a birthday present for Sir David Attenborough.

Acid-filled pitchers complete with fangs. Labyrinthine chambers decorated with bristles. Leaves that snap shut in less than a second. Employing strategies like these, carnivorous plants have a reputation as fearsome predators, but they may do more to help their insect neighbors than previously thought. 

Using mass spectroscopy to analyze the nitrogen isotope levels of wasps and pitcher plant leaves, researchers found that the nectar of carnivorous pitcher plants comprises an important part of the insects’ diet. This research provides evidence that this interaction isn’t as simple as a predator eating their prey, and that these pitcher plants likely play a larger role in their local ecosystems than was first thought. 

A new nematode: the first worm “towers” ever observed in the wild are an undescribed species named C. apta.

Possible tower vector: C. apta was found in huge numbers on two beetles invasive to Europe, pointing to likely tower vector.

Global dispersal: C. apta may have co-invaded and established in Europe with their beetle hosts, which might impact native nematode species.