Press release

Wild bees are important pollinators of many crop plants – sometimes they are even more efficient than honeybees. Their numbers can be increased sustainably using simple means as a recent study has found.

Global warming changes the flowering times of plants and the moment when bees hatch – sometimes with severe consequences for the bees. This was shown by a new study conducted by ecologists from the University of Würzburg.

Ants operate a unique rescue system: When an insect is injured during a fight, it calls for help. Its mates will then carry it back to the nest for recovery.

Climate change is affecting vegetation also in our latitudes. For the first time, scientists have conducted experiments to determine to what extent wild animals are capable of adjusting to this change.

A special camouflage allows parasitic wasps to raid the nests of host species. The affected hosts seem to have responded to that in the course of evolution as Würzburg biologists report.