Flower petals have ‘blue halos’ to attract bees

By Virginia MorellOct. 18, 2017 , 1:00 PM

Many wild bees prefer flowers in the violet-blue range—in part because these blossoms tend to produce high volumes of nectar. But it’s not easy for plants to produce blue flowers. Instead, a new study shows that many have evolved “blue halos” to allure bees, nanoscale structures on their petals that produce a blue glow when light hits them. The blue halo is created by tiny, irregular striations—usually lined up in parallel fashion—and is found in all major groups of flowering plants pollinated by insects, the scientists report today in Nature. They made their find by using scanning electron microscopy to examine every type of angiosperm—or flowering plant—including grasses, herbaceous plants, shrubs, and trees. 

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How sponges ‘spike’ themselves with glass

By Andrew WagnerOct. 18, 2017 , 2:00 PM

Sponges are, for lack of a better term, weird. Aside from being some of the most ancient animals on Earth, these marine invertebrates maintain their shape and stiffness with a matrix of glass. Their spiny silica-based spicules grow and branch to form wicked shapes, from thin needles to spiked spheres. But no one knew precisely how sponges could make such a wide variety of symmetrical shapes. So scientists investigated their 3D structure using x-ray nanotomography, a way of peering within tiny structures without destroying them.

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Migrant moths arriving from Europe to eat Britain's ivy

Spectacular insects include silver-striped hawk-moth which is more often found in Africa and south Asia

Tom Embury-Dennis 

Wednesday 11 October 2017 23:30 BST

The Independent Online

Hungry migrant moths from Europe are arriving in Britain and eating the nation’s ivy, with warm weather from the continent expected to drive a surge in numbers. 

Over the next three nights nature lovers are being urged to investigate local patches of ivy, which produces a lifeline to moths and butterflies as it flowers late in the year when other sources of nectar have disappeared. 

The spectacular moths include the silver-striped hawk-moth, which is more often found in Africa and south Asia, and the giant convolvulus hawk-moth, which has a wingspan of up to four inches. 

Richard Fox, Butterfly Conservation Head of Recording, told The Independent that rare moths are being "blown up by the wind" and into Britain.  

"We've got very mild temperatures, which is really good for our resident moths," he said. "On top of that we’ve got these southerly winds that are likely to bring migrant moths up to Britain."

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Scientists warn of 'ecological Armageddon' after study shows flying insect numbers plummeting 75%

Destruction of wild areas for agriculture and use of pesticides considered likely factors

Tom Embury-Dennis 

The Independent Online

The number of flying insects has plummeted by 75 per cent in the last 25 years, according to a study that suggests we are approaching an “ecological Armageddon”. 

The implications for humanity are profound, with insects providing an essential role for life on earth as pollinators of plants and prey for larger animals.  

Although it was known species such as bees and butterflies were declining, scientists were left shocked by the drop in numbers across nature reserves in Germany.

While no single cause was identified, the widespread destruction of wild areas for agriculture and the use of pesticides are considered likely factors. Climate changewas also cited as playing a potential role. 

Dave Goulson, professor of life sciences at the University of Sussex and the study’s co-author, said: “Insects make up about two-thirds of all life on Earth but there has been some kind of horrific decline.

“We appear to be making vast tracts of land inhospitable to most forms of life, and are currently on course for ecological Armageddon. If we lose the insects then everything is going to collapse.”

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DRI busts animal smuggling racket, rescues 1,000 turtles (Editor- note the 852 red-eared sliders confiscated because its an exotic turtle so falls under endangered species act’s protection) – via Herp Digest

The gang procures turtles from forest areas in Telengana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka through its agents. DH File Photo (Example of species confiscated, not actual animals)

DH News Service, Bengaluru, Oct 10 2017, 2:39 IST

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has claimed to have busted an animal smuggling racket and rescued 1,012 exotic turtles and tortoises, whose notional value was put at Rs 4 crore in the international market.

The DRI sleuths arrested one person and are searching for his associate in Chennai. The sleuths refused to divulge details of the arrested.

“He had tightly packed animals in seven travel bags and had kept the bags in two car bound for Chennai from Bengaluru,’’ said a senior officer. On definite leads, DRI staff intercepted the car at Attibelle toll gate and arrested the man.

There were 76 Tricarinate hill turtles, 852 red eared sliders, 11 Indian star tortoises and 46 female melanochelys tricarinate turtles and 27 Indian tent turtles, the official stated.

Exotic turtles and tortoises fall under endangered species category and their illegal capture and transport attract a minimum prison term of seven years under Customs Act and Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

The suspect told DRI sleuths that he operated through his associates in Bengaluru since 2016. They would procure animals captured from forest areas in Telengana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, through their agnets. Later, they would transport animals to Chennai by road. They would send them by cargo flight to China.

Turtles will be treated at veterinary care centre for a few days and later released into the wild or rehabilitated in any government animal centre, the official added.