News

Apr 22, 2024

Kissing bugs, vector for Chagas disease, successfully gene edited for first time

Kissing bugs, or triatomine bugs, are the primary vector for Chagas disease. New research from an international team, including a Penn State researcher, demonstrates — for the first time — the use of CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing in kissing bugs and opens the door to research on applied strategies for Chagas disease control.

Full Article

Apr 16, 2024

Yellow-eyed grasses may have more insect visitors than previously thought

Scientists previously believed that a family of flowering plants called yellow-eyed grasses didn’t attract many insect visitors, but the recent discovery of a fungus that hijacks the plant and forms fungal “pseudoflowers” has researchers rethinking this assumption.

Full Article

Jan 31, 2024

Penn State entomologists appointed to national committee on pollinator research

Two entomologists in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences have been appointed to serve on a new U.S. Department of Agriculture subcommittee on pollinators

Full Article

Jan 04, 2024

Why are bees making less honey? Study reveals clues in five decades of data

Honey yields in the U.S. have been declining since the 1990s, a new study by Penn State researchers has uncovered clues in the mystery of the missing honey.

Full Article

Nov 28, 2023

College of Ag Sciences recognizes faculty, staff for research achievements

Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences lauded outstanding accomplishments in research during the 2023 Research Awards Ceremony, held Nov. 1 at the Hintz Family Alumni Center on the University Park campus.

Full Article

Oct 16, 2023

Honey bees may inherit altruistic behavior from their mothers

True altruism is rare behavior in animals, but a new study by Penn State researchers has found that honey bees display this trait. Additionally, they found that an evolutionary battle of genetics may determine the parent they inherit it from.

Full Article

Sep 05, 2023

Invasive spotted lanternfly may not damage hardwood trees as previously thought

New long-term research about the spotted lanternfly led by Penn State has revealed that hardwood trees, such as maple, willow and birch, may be less vulnerable than initially thought.

Full Article

Sep 05, 2023

New updates come to 'Beescape,' an online tool for supporting pollinators

New updates have come to Beescape, an online tool created by a Penn State-led team for assessing the quality of landscapes for supporting bees and other pollinators.

Full Article

Aug 28, 2023

Penn State receives $3M grant to address insect biodiversity crisis

Penn State researchers have received a $3 million grant from the National Science Foundation to spearhead a new initiative to create novel monitoring systems for insect populations.

Full Article

Apr 13, 2023

Penn State announces 2023 University-wide faculty and staff awards

Each spring, Penn State recognizes outstanding faculty and staff with annual awards in teaching and excellence. These awards highlight many of the University's faculty and staff who go above and beyond in their work at Penn State.

Full Article