By Denis Crawford
With European honeybee populations under pressure from varroa mite it is time to take another look at alternative pollinators.
The need for pollinators that are complementary to, or an alternative to, European honeybees has never been more critical.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Clive Larkman
The world is a very different place from what it was one hundred or even fifty years ago. Fashion, technology, health and travel are some of the obvious sectors with immense change but there are less apparent ones that have major effects on our way of life.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Denis Crawford
Most people are familiar with mammals and birds that use tools, but they may not be aware that some insects also use tools.
I first became aware of animals using tools through the work of Jane Goodall in Africa during the 1960s.… Continue reading
Read MoreThe Plastic Smart Program, a joint venture between Garden City Plastics (GCP), Norwood Industries, and Polymer Processors, is driving innovation, sustainability, and growth in the Australian horticulture sector. This collaborative effort aims to establish an innovative infrastructure that enables the industry and its communities to consume and reuse plastic in a sustainable way.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Denis Crawford
We are all familiar with predators such as ladybird beetles and lacewings, but some of the less familiar predators are just as important.
Ladybird beetles are certainly the most well-known predators and common species are instantly recognisable with their bright colours and dark spots.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Denis Crawford
Insects are the only invertebrates that can fly, and flight has allowed insects to dominate most terrestrial ecosystems.
Insects first took to the air 350 to 400 million years ago, but like most evolutionary developments, it didn’t happen overnight.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Denis Crawford
Think weevil, think pest? Think again. Weevils are incredibly diverse, and some species are plant pollinators.
With about 400,000 species worldwide, the insect order Coleoptera (beetles) accounts for about 25% of all animal species on earth. 20% of those beetles are weevils of the superfamily Curculionoidea.… Continue reading
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Tiny Trichogramma wasps are mass reared to control caterpillar pests (image supplied by Denis Crawford)
By Denis Crawford
There is a long and fascinating history of mass rearing of various insects, and it seems that the practice is set to expand somewhat.
There has been a lot of press in the last couple of years about farming insects for human consumption.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Denis Crawford
Insects that have life cycles of complete metamorphosis have larvae that come in a variety of forms.
A life cycle of complete metamorphosis (holometabolous) means hatching from an egg into a larval stage, then pupating, and later emerging as an adult.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Patrick Regnault
Governments, NGOs (non-government organisations), media scientists, and politicians of all persuasions are thinking about climate change mitigation; good on them! Carbon offset using tree planting is like dressing a deep wound with a small plaster. It takes 10 to 20 years for a tree to become carbon neutral – are the offsets counted after that time?… Continue reading
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