News about Insects

Symposium Recap: Vector-borne Diseases in a Changing World

Local and international researchers and professionals gathered in the historic Festauditorium at the University of Copenhagen for an international symposium on the challenges and opportunities related to vector-borne…

Researchers revive yoghurt made from... ants

An old traditional recipe for yoghurt made from ants has been recreated by researchers at the University of Copenhagen. In a new study, they show how ants and the bacteria that live on them can transform milk into…

Researchers revive yoghurt made from... ants

An old traditional recipe for yoghurt made from ants has been recreated by researchers at the University of Copenhagen. In a new study, they show how ants and the bacteria that live on them can transform milk into…

The Genomic Organization of Superorganismal Ant Colonies

Worker ants increase their reproductive success by caring for their siblings instead of producing their own offspring. A new international study, initiated and co-directed by researchers at the University of Copenhagen…

Ox-eye daisy, bellis and yarrow: Flower strips with at least two sown species provide 70 percent more natural enemies of pests

Planting flower strips in a field with at least two species can increase the number of natural enemies of pests by 70 percent. The more flower species, the better the effect, according to a new meta-analysis from the…

New knowledge about a fungus that turns 60-80% of the flies in your home into zombies

How can a fungus take over a fly's behavior? An international group of researchers with participation from the University of Copenhagen hopes to find out with the help of a new genetic map of a unique fungus that…

Fungus gnat entombed in a 40-million-year-old piece of amber is a rare gem

A Danish amber collector’s find upon a wild North Sea shore in the 1960’s has proved to be of great and surprising significance. After having thoroughly examining the roughly 40-million-year-old piece of amber,…

Researchers get to the “bottom” of how beetles use their butts to stay hydrated

Beetles are champions at surviving in extremely dry environments. In part, this property is due to their ability to suck water from the air with their rear ends. A new collaborative study by researchers from the…

Researchers get to the “bottom” of how beetles use their butts to stay hydrated

Beetles are champions at surviving in extremely dry environments. In part, this property is due to their ability to suck water from the air with their rear ends. A new collaborative study by researchers from the…

Learning how to grow super mushrooms, with termites as teachers

Termites have cultivated and eaten them for 30 million years. This incredible mushroom has more protein than chicken, soy and corn, but has yet to be grown by humans. By imitating termites, scientists at the University…

Zombie fly fungus lures healthy male flies to mate with female corpses

A unique fungus survives by 'bewitching' male flies into mating with dead female flies. The longer a female fly carcass has lain and rotted, the greater the male’s lust. This, according to a new study led by researchers…

Invasive ant species headed to Denmark: super colony builders ruled by several thousand queens

A warmer climate is causing new species of ants to head for Denmark. One of them is likely to invade soon, according to a researcher at the University of Copenhagen. The species spreads quickly and can be a great…

Insect wingbeats will help quantify biodiversity

Insect populations are plummeting worldwide, with major consequences for our ecosystems and without us quite knowing why. A new AI method from the University of Copenhagen is set to help monitor and catalogue insect…

New edible cricket species discovered in Kenya

Researchers at the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) in Nairobi, Kenya, have discovered a new, previously undescribed edible cricket with great promise for mass production for human…

Farmers to use insects as their new livestock

From 2008-2013 the idea developed and since it has been met with great interest from farmers and especially the media. Nanna Roos wants to create a food production of insects and her first endeavors to achieve this took…

Technical Brief #5 Nutrition

GREEiNSECT Technical Brief #5 on Nutrition of insects as food released

Technical Brief #4 Gastronomy

GREEiNSECT Brief #4 on insect gastronomy released

GREEiNSECT PhD Defence by Afton Halloran

Afton Halloran will be the 1st GREEiNSECT PhD student to defend her thesis

Consumer attitudes Technical Brief #3

The technical brief #3 compiles information on studies regarding Kenyan consumers' preference and attitiude and willingness to pay for insect-based food products , investigated under the GREEiNSECT project.

GREEiNSECT Technical Brief #2 Farming Systems

The technical brief #2 provides an overview of farming systems for crickets and black soldier fly, currently investigated under the GREEiNSECT project.

Research and Innovation Cafe

In collaboration with the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences and Nordic Food Lab, GREEiNSECT took part in the first Research and Innovation Cafe at the Faculty of Science in Fredriksberg. The Cafe is a new…

Gene technology deceives greedy pest insects

PhD Thesis by Morten Emil Møldrup