Research Keyword: behavioral ecology

Using motion-detection cameras to monitor foraging behaviour of individual butterflies

Researchers used motion-activated cameras to study how butterflies search for food. They found that pollen-feeding Heliconius butterflies consistently return to the same flowers and spend longer feeding times, while related butterfly species visit more different flowers quickly. Females forage earlier in the day than males. This camera trap method proved effective for tracking butterfly behavior without disturbing them.

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An experimental approach to study foraging memory in ectomycorrhizal mycelium

Researchers tested whether mushroom fungi can remember where they found food by exposing fungal cultures to pea nutrients and then transferring them to fresh medium to see if they would grow toward where the food had been. The fungi did not show this memory behavior, but the study revealed that chemical compounds from the peas influenced fungal growth patterns. This work provides valuable tools and insights for studying how fungi perceive and respond to their environment, emphasizing the importance of publishing negative results to advance scientific understanding.

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