Press release

Late summer in Lower Franconia: there are hardly any flowering plants left, and food for honey bees is becoming scarce. Researchers at the Biocenter have investigated how bees cope with this situation.

Carpenter ants are not squeamish when it comes to caring for the wounded. To minimise the risk of infection, the insects immediately amputate injured legs – thereby more than doubling their survival rate.

Walks around the Würzburg Hubland campus with University Chancellor Uwe Klug, with the "Living Campus" initiative or with students in the campus garden: A total of 20 new short films deal with sustainability at the university.

Improving biodiversity and maintaining yields at the same time? For many, this sounds like a contradiction in terms. However, a new study by the University of Würzburg shows that both are possible under the right conditions.

For honeybees to overwinter successfully, several factors must work together. Researchers at the University of Würzburg have now identified a crucial one: The more diverse the diet, the greater the chances of survival.

Shrub fringes on the edges of forests and fields protect animal species and have a positive effect on biodiversity: This was reported by a research team from the University of Würzburg.

In a new study, researchers at the University of Würzburg are investigating the interaction of major global change drivers on insects.

What measures are suitable for providing better living conditions for insects in typical Franconian landscapes? This question was investigated by a research team from the University of Würzburg. The results are now available.

It's not always cosy and warm in the Amazon rainforest: cold waves can cause temperatures to drop drastically. Würzburg researchers have investigated how animals react to this.

Dangerous mixtures: pesticides in combination can have unexpected effects on the development of honeybees. This is shown by a new study from the Biocenter.

It's not just us humans who suffer from heatwaves. Researchers at the University of Würzburg discovered that hot temperatures rob bumblebees of their sense of smell – and makes them struggle when searching for food.

In an emergency, ants bite off injured limbs of fellow ants to ensure their survival. Whether they take this radical step depends on the location of the wound.

The African Matabele ants are often injured in fights with termites. Their conspecifics recognise when the wounds become infected and initiate antibiotic treatment.

A DFG research group led by the University of Würzburg has developed a method that makes it possible to analyse the relationship between biodiversity within and between ecosystems and the multifunctionality of entire landscapes.

Animal sounds are a very good indicator of biodiversity in tropical reforestation areas. Researchers led by Würzburg Professor Jörg Müller demonstrate this by using sound recordings and AI models.