Invertebrate Zoology Scientists studying pollinators of the yellow poppy (Meconopsis integrifolia) in the highlands of southern China have discovered a striking new species of flower fly […]

The post New species of poppy pollinating fly discovered in China appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

File: Western monarch butterfly in Huntington Beach; Credit: Courtesy of Huntington Beach Tree Society

A group of conservation organizations teamed up with a leading monarch butterfly scientist on Tuesday to petition for protection of the monarch butterfly under the Endangered Species Act.

The monarch butterfly is one of the most iconic butterfly species in the country. But according to conservation group the Xerces Society, the monarch butterfly population is in trouble.

“Many scientists estimate that there are about 33 million monarchs. And just for comparison, in the past, researchers have estimated more than 1 billion monarchs,” said Sarina Jepsen, who directs the Endangered Species Program for the Xerces Society.

That’s a decline of about 90 percent in just fewer than 20 years, Jepsen said.

The main culprit in the monarch’s decline is the weed killer Roundup, Jepsen said. Most monarch caterpillars breed in the Midwest, and feed off of milkweed. While Roundup doesn’t kill genetically modified crops like soy and corn, it does kill milkweed.

“So, milkweed growing in a large agricultural landscape has largely disappeared in the last decade-and-a-half to two decades,” said Jepsen.

Other contributing factors include climate change and a general loss of habitat, Jepsen said. California’s drought might also play a role.

“There’s a real strong relationship between drought severity and the number of monarchs that we see in the winter on the California coast,” said Jepsen. “In years when droughts are worse, there are fewer monarchs.”

Thousands of the butterflies gather on California’s coast each winter. Spots locally includeLeo Carrillo Beach in Malibu and Doheny Beach in Dana Point, though the Xerces Society has observed a large decline in the butterflies at these locations in the last several decades.

More on the drought’s effect on the monarch population will be known around Thanksgiving, when a group of so-called "citizen scientists" with the Xerces Society perform an annual count of the monarchs.

Along with the Xerces Society, the Center for Biological Diversity, the Center for Food and Safety and leading monarch butterfly scientist Dr. Lincoln Brower filed the petition.

The Fish and Wildlife Service has 90 days to decide whether to go forward with a further review to potentially classify the monarch butterfly as threatened or endangered. 

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

My new book LOSERTHINK, available now on Amazon https://tinyurl.com/rqmjc2a Content: There WAS…a genuine coup attempt Governor Abbott’s Coronavirus strategy CNN promotes their choice for Biden’s VP Hoaxes, hoaxes and hoaxes Vitamin D and groups vulnerable to coronavirus If you would like to enjoy this same content plus bonus content from Scott Adams, including micro-lessons on […]

The post Episode 961 Scott Adams: Flynn, Freedom, Vitamin D, Biden’s Brain and More appeared first on Scott Adams' Blog.

A rare small-bodied pterosaur, a flying reptile from the Late Cretaceous period approximately 77 million years ago, is the first of its kind to have been discovered on the west coast of North America.

read more

Crane fly larvae cause considerable damage to agricultural crops and young trees throughout Europe. New research has demonstrated that certain strains of fungi have significant potential to control crane fly infestations, thus reducing the use of chemical insecticides and enabling more environmentally-friendly strategies for pest control.

The fragmentation of habitats is a growing concern for nature conservation. Butterflies and moths are particularly sensitive and new research has shed light on what makes some species more vulnerable than others. Those that are less mobile with more specialist diets and less reproductive potential appear to be more affected by habitat fragmentation.

Researchers have compared the findings of a citizen-science project and a long-running butterfly monitoring scheme in the UK to gain insights into the reliability of data gathering by the public. They found that — contrary to the scepticism with which such projects are sometimes viewed — much of the citizen-recorded data agreed with the findings of more formal monitoring, particularly for species often found in gardens. This indicates that mass-participation sampling not only provides a valuable tool for public engagement, but, in this case, could also provide valid data to inform butterfly conservation.

Insect numbers in west German nature reserves have fallen by more than 76% in just 27 years, according to a new study. The fall was even higher in the summer months, with 82% on average fewer insects being recorded. The reasons for this dramatic fall are unclear. The researchers ruled out changes in weather, plant cover and local landscape playing a significant role in the observed decline, but suggest that intensive agriculture and pesticides in fields near to the reserves could be responsible. Whatever the cause, the catastrophic fall in insect numbers will inevitably lead to knock-on effects on ecosystems in the long term, particularly due to their essential role as pollinators and their position in the food web. The researchers say that preserving and protecting insects should now be a priority for conservation policies.

Crane fly larvae cause considerable damage to agricultural crops and young trees throughout Europe. New research has demonstrated that certain strains of fungi have significant potential to control crane fly infestations, thus reducing the use of chemical insecticides and enabling more environmentally-friendly strategies for pest control.

A BT cloud-based virtual contact centre helps Etihad deliver own-language service excellence to guests from 37 countries

The post Flying car race series attracts investment appeared first on The Lead SA.

The sustainable brewery will donate all proceeds of the hybrid wheat-pale ale to a charity chosen by its social media fans.

It won't exactly make Venus any more desirable as a tourist destination.

The rare dual-sex butterfly astounded curators at the Natural History Museum in London.

Video: Observing a split in the butterfly family tree.

Fascinating research focuses on aerial feats of the dragonfly such as hunting and the impressive act of mating in mid-air.

A consensus is emerging in support of a price floor for gasoline, but getting it through Congress may be difficult. And will Obama expend capital on the idea?

These simple yoga moves can you help ease pain, release tension and boost energy in the close confines of an airplane.

A NASA spacecraft's epic Pluto encounter is officially underway.

When it comes to tracking New Horizons's Pluto flyby, you have options.

Here are five things researchers can learn about Earth by studying the dwarf planet Pluto.

​The first-ever flyby of Pluto was a big success.

The apiarian artery is the buzziest infrastructure project in Scandinavia.

NASA's prototype shuttle orbiter Enterprise, which had been on display at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum since 2003, is set to fly to the Big App

The space shuttle Endeavour takes to the skies above California for its last-ever flight today, Sept. 21, giving observers from Sacramento to Los Angeles a one

It's been 5 years since the West Virginia northern flying squirrel came off the Endangered Species List, and the recovery rate is encouraging.

Lots of old parenting ideas wouldn't work today, but there's at least one that most kids wish would come back.

NASA aims to launch a flight test Thursday, June 4, of an innovative "flying saucer" that could help humans land on Mars in the future.

NASA's huge supersonic parachute isn't ready to land astronauts on Mars just yet.

Video: When a 10-mile stretch of L.A.'s interstate 405 is closed this weekend, there will be only one way to get through the gridlock: Fly over it. Take a ride

Birds that produce 'flight calls' during night migration may be more vulnerable to light pollution, a new study finds.

A car that doubles as a plane has received NHTSA clearance to operate on land and in the air.

Meet some of the most spectacular, and secretive, squirrels on Earth.

If you've ever wanted to visit this colorful, man-made geyser in Nevada, you may soon get your wish — thanks to the organizers of Burning Man!

Photographer Chris Perani painstakingly combines thousands of exposures to create each individual image.

Construction equipment has moved into the land of the National Butterfly Center in Mission, Texas, to begin work on a border wall.

Beautiful video from National Geographic shows how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly.

The western monarch population may be on the verge of collapsing.

Covering thousands of miles on three-inch wings, the common green darner dragonfly completes a multi-generation journey every year.

Astronomers have used instruments on board SOFIA, the world's largest airborne observatory, to examine a planet beyond solar system.

From the fastest to the heaviest, there are some impressive flying creatures in the animal kingdom, including birds, fish and snakes.

Video shows a majestic murmuration of starlings flying across a beautiful Irish sky.

BIrds and bats don't seem to rely on their gut bacteria for the same things we do.

Chemical material could speed clean-up at power plants by snapping its jaws at radioactive waste, leaving nontoxic byproducts alone.

Cambridge researchers studying the event say the waterfall in Greenland measured roughly 1,000 meters tall.

Whether you want to fly a drone for fun or business, you need to know the rules.

Go on an adventure with reasonable airfares that let you circle the globe.

A pair of British pilots recently pulled off a daring aviation stunt, becoming the first to fly two planes in formation through a building.