Examining the ways each organism has adapted to its neighbors could help scientists create organic treatments for parasites, the researchers said.<\/p>\n
No friends here <\/p>\n
Spruce bark beetles (Ips typographus) are a common pest that burrows deep into a tree, siphoning away nutrients. Although bark beetles are rarely aggressive enough to actually kill a tree, their presence can threaten those weakened by natural or human-made disasters. What\u2019s more, \u201clittle can be done to control most bark beetles once trees have been attacked,\u201d according to a report<\/a> by California\u2019s Integrated Pest Management Program.<\/p>\n Then there is the fungus, Beauveria bassiana. This fungus is neither the tree\u2019s nor the beetle\u2019s friend; as a pathogenic species, it can infect both organisms. The researchers behind the new study wondered whether the beetles could be exploiting the spruce tree\u2019s rich defensive resources to protect themselves from the fungus.<\/p>\n To find out, the team performed detailed chemical analyses of the antibiotic chemicals produced by spruce trees to fight off fungal infections. Their investigation suggested that the beetles used the compounds for their own defense. Surprisingly, that involved a sophisticated process in which the insects converted these chemicals into even more toxic substances, with greater protective ability against fungal attacks.<\/p>\n ![\"Beauveria](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Beauveria-bassiana-grasshoppers-336x326.jpg\")
Grasshoppers infected and killed by the pathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana, Credit: Agricultural Research Service \/ U.S. Department of Agriculture An odd trio <\/p>\n