predation

Though it’s poetic to say that ants were grieving the bee at a funeral, the reality is a bit more prosaic.

Frogs invest in cognitive capacity to avoid predators—up until there are too many hungry snakes around for the evolutionary strategy to pay off.

A study traces the effects of a mite outbreak from the earth to the heavens.

The behavior is the first example of a mammal mimicking a more-dangerous species.

Mongolian rodents join the ranks of earthworms and beavers as known ecosystem engineers.

The glossy shell of some beetles, it has long been speculated, helps hide the insects from predators. A recent paper put the hypothesis to the test—and found it wanting.

Moving collectively on the water surface could help protect schools of fish from being eaten by predatory birds.

When observed under a microscope, guard hairs from mice resemble optical sensors used in thermal cameras to detect heat, according to a new study.

The Scientist speaks with organismal biologist Xavier Glaudas about possible reasons for his recent finding that male Montpellier snakes cannibalize female conspecifics.

Across the tree of life, animals use sound and other vibrations to glean valuable sensory information about their environments even before they are born.

As some conservationists and researchers begin to return large carnivores to areas where they once roamed, scientists intensify efforts to study the ecological roles of predators.

The release of gray wolves in Yellowstone decades ago still stands as one of the few examples of a predator reintroduction, and the lessons learned continue to be debated. New projects aim to do it again.

Watch a predaceous diving beetle dine on a tadpole.

Distantly related, lookalike Heliconius species arrive at the same appearance using the same few genes, but regulated differently, according to recent studies.

This caterpillar secretes acid to get past the defenses of the plant on which it preys.

Moths’ scales vibrate in the frequency range of bats’ echolocation calls, perhaps helping the insects to avoid predation.

Nest predation of shorebirds that raise young in the Arctic are up threefold since the mid-20th century, and climate change may be to blame, according to a study.

In an unusual evolutionary twist, local stick spiders have come up with an almost identical repertoire of color morphs in multiple locations.

The bombardier beetle forced its devourer to vomit it out by releasing explosive, toxic chemicals.