Bugs that survive insecticides grow stronger. And discovering new, effective toxins through genetics is time-consuming – finding the nexus between a particular bug and its poison can take decades. Now, scientists at Massachusetts’ Harvard University are using advanced PACE technology speed up the search for new Bt toxins to kill insecticide-resistant super-bugs.

The discovery of the mechanisms – neuronal, genetic and mechanical – governing insects’ ability to detect changes in humidity may lead to new strategies for controlling pest populations.

A new integrated pest management project is using native predators and natural repellents in a bid to curtail the costly citrus gall wasp.

Including wild flowering species alongside food crops boosts yield and cuts costly chemical use in rice fields across Asia, finds a long-term study by Australian and New Zealand researchers.