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A typical behaviour: When the leafcutter ant Atta sexdens cuts pieces of leaves, it holds onto the leaf edge with its hind legs to determine the size of the cut.

With head and leg to the beautiful cut

How do leafcutter ants measure the size of the leaf pieces they cut off? A study by the University of Würzburg now provides answers.

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Left: A walking bumblebee with increased temperature of the chest and head area. Right: A sitting bumblebee with lower, constant temperature. The electrical responses of the eye in the middle show that the bumblebee processes visual stimuli faster while walking than while sitting.

Better vision through movement

When bumblebees move, their vision improves. Scientists at the University of Würzburg have now been able to prove this.

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Bumblebees foraging on flowers

Flower Patterns Make Bumblebees More Efficient

The search for nectar costs insects a lot of energy, so they have to be as efficient as possible. Colourful patterns on the petals can help with that.

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Ants are usually found in large numbers. But how many of them are there in total on earth?

How many ants are there?

Have you ever asked yourself this question? A team led by Würzburg biologists Dr. Patrick Schultheiss and Dr. Sabine Nooten now has the answer. In addition to the number, the distribution was also determined.

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