The invaders are incredibly insects. Asian lady beetles have a hyperactive immune system, which could be what’s protecting them from succumbing to the spores in their blood. Unstoppable And these conquerors aren’t just a problem for other insects. Every winter, Asian lady beetles gather by the thousands to weather the cold temperatures inside any cave-like dwelling they can find—including houses. Vogel’s own mother walked outside four years ago to find thousands of the pests attached to the side of her house, attempting to force their way in. “They’re trying to sneak into crevices,” Vogel said. “You can’t open a window anymore or you’ll have thousands inside.” The Asian lady beetles en mass have been known to cause health issues for people prone to asthma. They also give off a horrible smell when they sense danger as a deterrent against predators. One smelly beetle is nothing more than an annoyance, but if you have thousands of them, the stench can be a big problem, Vogel said. Any efforts to eradicate the beetle, also feasts on agricultural crops like grapes and apples, are likely a waste of resources, the biologist added. The bugs are just too resilient to control. “I don’t think we can do a lot against [the Asian lady beetles],” Vogel said. “They’re so successful, and they’re spreading so fast. There’s no stopping them.” From: ASSOCIATED @NatGeo ---- Invasive Asian lady beetles contain tiny parasites that kill native ladybugs: (84 retweets) Invasive ladybirds wage 'biological war' on natives By Matt McGrath 16 May 2013 The Asian Ladybird or harlequin has overpowered native species across Europe. German researchers have discovered the biological keys to the success of an invasive species, wreaking havoc across Europe and the US.
In the plants that were connected by fungi, when a single plant was infected with aphids, the other two plants began to mount their chemical defenses, secreting aphid-repelling substances that also attract the wasps that feed on aphid larvae. The plants that were not connected by mycorrhizae were apparently not warned of the attack on the single plant in their group because they secreted no defensive chemicals. When the bean plants come under attack, their chemical defenses trigger a reaction in the chemical composition of the fungi, causing a chain reaction that leads to the next bean plant, which, in its turn, detects the distress chemicals in the fungi and reacts by releasing its own chemical defenses. John Pickett of Rothamsted Research that the fungi are engaged in a two-way relationship with the bean plants. “Mycorrhizal fungi need to get [products of photosynthesis] from the plant, and they have to do something for the plant,” he said. “In the past, we thought of them making nutrients available from the [roots and soil], but now we see another evolutionary role for them in which they pay the plant back by transmitting the signal efficiently.” The discovery took scientists by surprise, but Pickett calls the fungal network “a fantastic signaling system.” The team hopes that their discovery can contribute to pest-resistance and additional hardiness for food plants in the field. From: Fungal network helps plants communicate It’s like playing telephone, but more science-y. Researchers have found plants use an underground network of fungi to warn each other of attacks by aphids, small insects that feed on and can destroy plants, . The research was published in and was conducted by researchers at the University of Aberdeen and Rothamsted Research. Below ground, most plants are connected by thread-like fungi called mycorrhizae. Researchers grew bean plants in groups of five then let three in each group grow mycorrihizal mycelia. The remaining two plants in each group were kept fungi-free, . Researchers then released aphids on one plant in each group. The plants responded by releasing chemicals to call in the troops – that is, to repel aphids and attract wasps that feed on the tiny bugs. Researchers found plants that weren’t infested but connected to the aphid-besieged plant by fungi also