Spruce bark is rich in phenolic compounds that protect trees from pathogenic fungi. A research team at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena has investigated how these plant defenses ...

Adult spruce bark beetles in their galleries in the bark of a Norway spruce tree. The beetle in the middle is infected with the fungus Beauveria bassiana. Spruce bark is rich in phenolic compounds ...

Spruce bark beetles don’t just tolerate their host tree’s chemical defenses—they actively reshape them into stronger antifungal protections. These stolen defenses help shield the beetles from ...

Nature gives rise to fascinating adaptations, which can sometimes lead to organisms living in some strange situations. The relationship between bark beetles, spruce trees, and a type of fungus is a ...

You're out walking through your garden after a heavy rainstorm. Suddenly, you spot it: a bright, gelatinous, neon-orange blob clinging to the bark of your beloved maple tree. It looks like an alien ...