insects

Scientists were fascinated by Harvey's unique split coloring but still don't know exactly why he looked that way. In his long life (for a cockroach) he was a favorite among visitors to the Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House in St. Louis.

Monarch butterflies are flying south toward central Mexico as a part of their fall migration. Kansas plays a vital role in helping the butterflies on their journey, as states like Oklahoma and Texas experience nectar droughts.

The pondberry shrub is rare in the wild because of the way it reproduces and the loss of its wetland habitats. It faces destruction from a non-native beetle and the fungus it carries.

A sting from an Asian needle ant can cause anaphylaxis. The ant tends to prefer forests and wood-rich areas, has a distinctive stinger, and has a lighter reddish-brown color on the legs.

Now under new management, Powell Gardens Colonial Farms plans to gradually shift its growing practices. The goal is to improve environmental health while preserving the fruit-picking and family-oriented experience that Kansas Citians expect.

New research out of Ohio State University found the rate of bird decline was quicker in areas with more intense agricultural practices.

Tumbleweeds have taken over the High Plains. The plant thrives so well in the western part of Kansas that sometimes they can shut down entire neighborhoods or highways. Plus: An inconspicuous insect is changing what survival looks like as climate change remains a threat.

A team of researchers studied the effects of heat on the survival and reproduction of Missouri treehoppers. "This is more of a story of resilience," says a St. Louis University biology professor.

Missouri and federal officials are gearing up to stop the advance of a parasitic fly that is less than 70 miles from the United States border with Mexico.

Scientists say leaving autumn leaves on the ground can add important nutrients to the soil and create needed habitat for insects.

The brown tarantula is about the size of an apple or orange. University of Missouri-St. Louis scientist Becky Hansis-O’Neill and her team of students have been using an app to track their locations, tag and measure them, and learn how to protect their populations.

Missouri is one of eight states in the country where a human has been diagnosed with Chagas disease, a parasitic infection spread by bugs. Scientists are now calling on health authorities to declare the disease endemic in the United States.