Economic foraging in a floral marketplace: asymmetrically dominated decoy effects in bumblebees.

While most models of decision-making assume that individuals assign options absolute values, animals often assess options comparatively, violating principles of economic rationality. Such 'irrational' preferences are especially common when two rewards vary along multiple dimensions of quality and a third, 'decoy' option is available. Bumblebees are models of decision-making, yet whether they are subject to decoy effects is unknown.

A novel pesticide has lethal consequences for an important pollinator.

Wild bees pollinate crops and wildflowers where they are frequently exposed to pesticides. Neonicotinoids are the most commonly used insecticide globally, but restrictions on their use and rising pest resistance have increased the demand for alternative pesticides. Flupyradifurone is a novel insecticide that has been licenced globally for use on bee-visited crops.

Is developmental plasticity triggered by DNA methylation changes in the invasive cane toad ()?

Many organisms can adjust their development according to environmental conditions, including the presence of conspecifics. Although this developmental plasticity is common in amphibians, its underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown. Exposure during development to either 'cannibal cues' from older conspecifics, or 'alarm cues' from injured conspecifics, causes reduced growth and survival in cane toad () tadpoles.

Whole-mitogenome analysis unveils previously undescribed genetic diversity in cane toads across their invasion trajectory.

Invasive species offer insights into rapid adaptation to novel environments. The iconic cane toad () is an excellent model for studying rapid adaptation during invasion. Previous research using the mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase 3 () gene in Hawai'ian and Australian invasive populations found a single haplotype, indicating an extreme genetic bottleneck following introduction.

Mechanisms, costs, and carry-over effects of cannibal-induced developmental plasticity in invasive cane toads.

Inducible defences can improve survival in variable environments by allowing individuals to produce defences if they detect predators. These defences are often expressed as inter-related developmental, morphological, and behavioural changes. However, producing defences can incur costs, which may be expressed immediately and/or during subsequent life stages.