Press release

Ants do not always take the shortest route when they are in a hurry. Their navigational system occasionally makes them take detours to speed up their journey.

The effects of climate change are felt especially in the Alps. How capable are insects, which are important pollinators, of adjusting to this development? A new junior research group is looking into this question.

Alcohol used as a "weed killer" optimizes the harvest of ambrosia beetles.

An increasing proportion of the world's protected forests are subject to extensive logging activities. The practice is called "salvage logging" and allegedly aims to protect e.g. areas of windthrow against bark beetle infestation. However, a Würzburg study has found that this instrument is used far too often.

Crop variety in agriculture has a positive impact on the natural enemies of aphids. Farmers can use this insight to keep aphids at bay and cut down on pesticides.

Ants dress the wounds their mates have suffered in battle. Such behaviour is believed to be unique among animals.

Astonishing evolution: Because digger wasps switched prey, the chemical protective layer of their skin changed, too.

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.