The Asian longhorned tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis, spreads serious pathogens. Ryo Nakao and colleagues explored the genetic structure of native and introduced H. longicornis populations. SNP analysis showed gene flow between clades, suggesting that parthenogenesis evolved multiple times. According to the authors, the ability to evolve parthenogenesis may help explain the spread of this vector species.

For the first time, a research team from the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology and Friedrich Schiller University in Jena, Germany, has demonstrated that insects can mimic floral scents to manipulate pollinators. The parasitic larvae of the European oil beetle (Meloe proscarabaeus) attract wild bees with volatile compounds closely resembling the scent of flowers. The researchers analyzed the scent of the larvae and found that it consists of a complex mixture of monoterpenoids, which are fragrances emitted by a wide variety of flowers. Behavioral experiments revealed that bees respond to the odor even when no larvae are visible. The researchers also demonstrated that the beetle larvae synthesize the volatile compounds themselves rather than sequester them from their surroundings. Through genetic analyses, the researchers identified two cytochrome P450 enzymes involved in forming the flower-like compounds. This is the first documented example of an animal mimicking flower odors to manipulate an ecological interaction.