Articles tagged with Foraging
A recent study reveals that wasp helpers are more likely to take risks when they have a better chance of becoming the next queen or breeder. Brighter wasps face a fundamental trade-off between helping and ensuring their own survival, ultimately leading them to become lazier as their future reproductive success increases.
Ants can use landmarks to find their way home, but also have an internal 'path integrator' that constantly reassesses their position. Researchers found that this system needs regular reset via nest entry and food release to maintain accuracy.
A new study has found significant regional differences in ocean contamination levels among albatrosses, with black-footed albatrosses foraging in the California Current exhibiting higher concentrations of mercury and organochlorine compounds. The findings suggest that these contaminants build up in the tissues of animals high on the fo...
Researchers found that wasps use biting to recruit new foragers, particularly those who haven't left the nest before. The study reveals a crucial role of biting in communication and task performance within colonies.
Researchers are using electronic tags on marine animals to collect data on oceanographic conditions, such as water temperature and salinity. This data is being used to improve ocean circulation models and gain insights into the lives of California sea lions and other apex predators.
New studies reveal that a significant portion of US species are threatened, with only 15% well-studied. Wandering albatrosses have an unique foraging strategy, catching prey in highly dispersed areas. Coral reefs can recover from nuclear tests within five years, but ecosystem integrity is crucial.
Researchers found that cave crickets in Texas forage up to 80 meters from their caves, double the previously reported range. This discovery highlights the need to extend protective buffer areas around caves to safeguard endangered invertebrate species.
Researchers found that bumblebees choose flowers based on the choices of other bees, especially when encountering unfamiliar plant species. This behavior suggests an efficient shortcut to success, and provides new insights into the complexity of insect foraging behavior.
Scientists at the University of Thessaloniki, Bar-Ilan University, and Justus-Liebig-Universitat Giessen have quantified network vulnerability, finding that knowledge of top nodes can significantly reduce attack points. This research has implications for controlling contagious disease spread through social networks.
Researchers found that whooping cranes exhibit high-amplitude head movements to control their visual world while searching for food. By holding the head still more than 50% of the time, they permit close and stable examination of objects in view, allowing accurate detection, localization, and recognition of food items.
Research suggests that impulsive behavior in animals, including blue jays, may be an evolutionary adaptation to foraging in the wild. The study found that birds prioritized immediate rewards over delayed ones, as they would often forget about food and continue foraging. This impulsiveness may have been beneficial for survival but is no...
Researchers found that ants use distinct body odors to signal tasks, such as foraging and patrolling, allowing them to coordinate complex behaviors without a hierarchical control structure. The discovery sheds light on the importance of scent in insect communication and has implications for fields like computer science and robotics.
A recent study found that sea snakes exhibit strong homing instincts, returning to their native islands within a month after translocation. This suggests that populations may be more vulnerable to local threats and extinctions than previously thought.
Climate change is expected to increase winter temperatures, leading to greater risks for perennial forage crops in Eastern Canada. The study used agro-climatic indices to analyze the effect of climate conditions on winter survival, finding increased risks due to warmer winters and reduced cold hardiness.
A new study found that a specific gene stimulates an activity-boosting enzyme in the brain's visual processing centers of honeybees, leading to changes in foraging behavior. The gene's impact on foraging is similar to its effects in other species, suggesting a crucial role in understanding how genes influence behavior.
Researchers found that forager bees have lower activity levels of a protein called acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in their brains, which may lead to enhanced cognitive performance. A study led by Gene E. Robinson at the University of Illinois showed that reducing AChE activity improved learning abilities in foragers.