A new study by French scientists shows that when the ants are removed from their host in an ant-plant mutualism, the host plant suffer more damage from herbivores. They, furthermore, find that ants patrol more often on a young and vulnerable leaves, but are rapidly recruited to leaf wounds.

The so-called myrmecoophyte plants live in a close mutualism with ants. They offer the ants shelter in thorns, hollow stems or curled leaves and food in the form of extra-floral nectar or food bodies. In return the ants protects the plant by removing encroaching competitors and fungal pathogens, killing or scaring off herbivores – the ants usually have painful stings and are so aggressive that they can deter even large herbivores.

Tag it:

?

Be first to comment this article | Add as favourites (19) | Quote this article on your site | Views: 1345 | E-mail

A black widow hanging upside down in its web. The red hour glass marking is clearly visible on the abdomen. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons (Author Chepyle) .

The black widow (genus Lactrodectus) is famous for its potent venom. However, due to their small size the bites are rarely fatal. But since they are common and a large geographical distribution (they are found on all continents, although only in the southern parts of Europe and Asia), they are the spiders responsible for most human deaths world wide. Black widows build 3-dimensional cobwebs consisting of a sheet of silk, supporting threads and sticky threads extending to the substrate, where they catch passing insects.

Tag it:

?

Be first to comment this article | Add as favourites (24) | Quote this article on your site | Views: 1286 | E-mail

African field crickets (Gryllus bimaculatus). Photographed by Adrian Pingstone (Wikimedia Commons).

Many animals, like humans, rely on acoustic signals for intraspecific communication. Sound has the advantage of being easier to precisely locate than for instance pheromones and it penetrates the undergrowth and canopy, while at the same time allowing the sender to stay hidden from visual predators.

Tag it:

?

Be first to comment this article | Add as favourites (24) | Quote this article on your site | Views: 1167 | E-mail

Jewel beetle (Melanophila acuminata). photo: AG Prof. Schmitz , University Bonn, Germany)

Tag it:

?

Be first to comment this article | Add as favourites (130) | Quote this article on your site | Views: 3176 | E-mail