Nature reports

The fall armyworm – the caterpillar of a moth species – can only be sustainably controlled with solutions tailored to regional differences. That is the conclusion of biologist Renée van Schaijk in her doctoral research. Her..

New research shows that by simply counting the diversity of flowers, we can estimate how rich a grassland is in species of plants, insects and spiders. The flower richness of grasslands can be surveyed rapidly and it can indicate..

Some ghost nets continue to harm marine ecosystems, while others can provide valuable habitat for (protected) marine species. New research by Wageningen University & Research shows that removing ghost nets is therefore not always..

A large share of the Dutch government’s financial schemes unintentionally contributes to biodiversity loss. This is the conclusion of a broad analysis of subsidies and tax incentives across five ministries. The study was carried..

By recording biodiversity in the park by means of a one-day 'bioblitz', researchers are building a baseline for urban nature in Amsterdam. ARTIS Zoo is an urban green area, providing space to many wild species, in the middle of..

Currently, some 40,000 bar-tailed godwits are eating large quantities of mud shrimps in Balgzand, near Den Helder. This beautiful spectacle can be seen from the dike until about May 20. It has not previously been established that..

In a new study, researchers from the University of Amsterdam Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics try to explain why prey get away so often. Not only the physical performance of predator and prey seems to play a role..

Bewick’s swans are migrating less and less far to the southwest in winter. On average, they spend the winter 118 kilometres closer to their breeding grounds for every 1 degree Celsius increase in winter temperature...

In 2025, volunteers from Naturalis Biodiversity Center and members of the Dutch Entomological Society discovered a species of praying mantis on Aruba. It turned out to be a previously undescribed species. The praying mantis was..

With eDNA metabarcoding, researchers read DNA traces from soil, water, or even air as if they were barcodes. This allows them to discover which plants are or were present, even when they are invisible to the naked eye. It is a..