Insects
You might find a rare species in your backyard
Events like City Nature Challenge are empowering communities to discover species, never seen before in some urban areas, say University of Melbourne experts
Are you a mosquito magnet? Here’s why and what you can do about it
There are some people who just seem to attract mosquitoes, but what’s the science behind it? University of Melbourne experts explain why beer might be involved.
Victoria’s new habitat law fails to protect a tiny endangered species
An endangered wingless stonefly in Australia is facing extinction after a government decision went against scientific advice say University of Melbourne experts
Do you have a chorus of crickets in your backyard? Here’s why
Melbourne is seeing an explosion of crickets, but a University of Melbourne experts says we should embrace these swarms as part of the cycle of nature
Air pollution makes it harder for insects to find food and mates
Air pollution particles affect insect antennae function and may be a driver of global declines in insect populations, finds a University of Melbourne-led study.
The wingless grasshopper that could cross Bass Strait, but not the Yarra River
New genomic data can track Australia’s wingless matchstick grasshopper from Tasmania to the mainland, say University of Melbourne experts.
Insects have more complex immune systems than we thought
University of Melbourne researchers have found that insects and other invertebrates have complex immune systems which can be used to protect their offspring
The fly DNA fighting killer bacteria
The genome of an Australian fly has won an evolutionary “arms race” against a killer bacteria by evolving to co-exist with it, say University of Melbourne.
Lockdown ‘field trip’ reveals whereabouts of Australian grasshoppers
Ecologists from the University of Melbourne used historical survey notes to map the location of hundreds of species of Australian grasshopper
Q&A: Victoria’s monster mosquito explosion
Do you feel like a personal donor to a rising number of blood-sucking mosquitoes this Australian spring? You’re not alone, say University of Melbourne experts.