ReviewOecologia2020
Benefits of insect colours: a review from social insect studies.
Review in Oecologia, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 28 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
28 citing papers in PubMed, 70 citations in OpenAlex.
- Different Scales, Different Rules: How Do Temperature and Radiation Across Macro- and Microclimate Shape Forest Insect Traits?Ecology and evolution · 2026Article
- Chromatic Contrast Alone Does Not Predict Predation Risk in the Longhorn BeetleEcology and evolution · 2026Article
- Color and Near-Infrared Reflectance Covary in Distinct Ways Across Taxa.Ecology and evolution · 2026Article
- Gene Expression During Scale Development in Pachyrhynchus Weevils.Journal of experimental zoology. Part B, Molecular and developmental evolution · 2026Article
- Thermal tolerance and heritability in dune-dwelling ants reveal bioindicator potential for climate vulnerability in coastal ecosystems.International journal of biometeorology · 2026Article
- An endosymbiotic origin of the crimson pigment from the lac insect.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2025Article
- Contributions of Microscopy to the Morphological Characterization of the Male Genitalia ofEcology and evolution · 2025Article
- Article
- Where you live shapes who you are: morphological changes in urbanFrontiers in insect science · 2025Article
- Unveiling Arthropod Responses to Climate Change: A Functional Trait Analysis in Intensive Pastures.Insects · 2024Article
- The Use of Insect Pigment in Art Works.Insects · 2024Review
- Current evidence of climate-driven colour change in insects and its impact on sexual signals.Ecology and evolution · 2024Review
- Utilization of microbial fuel cells as a dual approach for landfill leachate treatment and power production: a review.Environmental science and pollution research international · 2024Review
- Article
- Hymenoptera and biomimetic surfaces: insights and innovations.Beilstein journal of nanotechnology · 2024Review
- Optical multiband polarimetric modulation sensing for gender and species identification of flying native solitary pollinators.iScience · 2023Article
- Article
- Evidence of two mitochondrial lineages and genetic variability in forensically important Lucilia eximia (Diptera: Calliphoridae) in Colombia.Journal of medical entomology · 2023Article
- Cholesteric Liquid Crystal Polymeric Coatings for Colorful Artificial Muscles and Motile Humidity Sensor Skin Integrated with Magnetic Composites.Advanced functional materials · 2023Article
- Sex recognition does not modulate aggression toward nest intruders in a paper wasp.Current zoology · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
Insect colours assist in body protection, signalling, and physiological adaptations. Colours also convey multiple channels of information. These channels are valuable for species identification, distinguishing individual quality, and revealing ecological or evolutionary aspects of animals' life. During recent years, the emerging interest in colour research has been raised in social hymenopterans such as ants, wasps, and bees. These insects provide important ecosystem services and many of those are model research organisms. Here we review benefits that various colour types give to social insects, summarize practical applications, and highlight further directions. Ants might use colours principally for camouflage, however the evolutionary function of colour in ants needs more attention; in case of melanin colouration there is evidence for its interrelation with thermoregulation and pathogen resistance. Colours in wasps and bees have confirmed linkages to thermoregulation, which is increasingly important in face of global climate change. Besides wasps use colours for various types of signalling. Colour variations of well chemically defended social insects are the mimetic model for unprotected organisms. Despite recent progress in molecular identification of species, colour variations are still widely in use for species identification. Therefore, further studies on variability is encouraged. Being closely interconnected with physiological and biochemical processes, insect colouration is a great source for finding new ecological indicators and biomarkers. Due to novel digital imaging techniques, software, and artificial intelligence there are emerging possibilities for new advances in this topic. Further colour research in social insects should consider specific features of sociality.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.