The study of α-amylase inhibitors and digestive enzymes in insect larvae offers crucial insights into insect physiology and crop protection. Insect larvae rely on α-amylase to hydrolyse starch, a ...

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – A termite's own biology with help from microorganisms called protists, are keys to the insect's digestion of woody material, according to a Purdue University scientist. Michael ...

If you have ever maintained a garden and had issues with insect pests, it may be hard to believe that plants, in general, are a poor food source for insects. Among the greatest challenges for ...

Plants are not entirely at the mercy of their herbivore enemies. Often, chemical defences ensure that the plants are inedible, or even toxic, and as a result insects and other hungry animals steer ...

Whenever it rains in Kenya, insects fall a like manna which, coincidentally, means 'given for free' in some Bantu dialects. A once common rainy season delicacy in Kenya is the winged termites, which ...

The Cape sundew is a carnivorous plant found in South Africa. The plant’s leaves are covered in tiny red tentacles called glandular trichomes. The tentacles produce drops of sticky mucilage, a ...

Crustaceans, insects and mushrooms are rich sources of the dietary fiber chitin, which activates the immune system and benefits metabolism, according to a new study in mice. Who can forget the stomach ...

The degradation of plant defense substances by insect digestive enzymes can influence the insects' preference for certain food plants, a new study now shows for the first time. Scientists studied this ...