If you live in the Northeast United States, the Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) probably needs no introduction. Since their arrival around 2014, these striking planthoppers have transformed from a localized curiosity in Pennsylvania into a region-wide phenomenon, swarming vineyards, coating city sidewalks, and becoming the target of public "squish-on-sight" campaigns. But as evolutionary biologists, we... Continue Reading →
Urban Rodent Control has Big Genetic Impacts for Rats in Brazil
Most people – both researchers and residents alike – are quickly coming to appreciate that wildlife are increasingly common in cities, and here to stay. Some species are generally considered a welcomed part of the tapestry of an urban environment (think peregrine falcons). Rats clearly fall on the other extreme of the spectrum, maligned for... Continue Reading →