Symbiosis, or the interaction of two unalike species, is common and often necessary for survival. In insects, symbiotic microbes often facilitate and promote the growth of hosts. Before the symbiotic collaboration can begin, however, hosts must acquire their symbionts. Sometimes, they are passed on from parents to offspring; other times, hosts must find their symbionts themselves—or face dire consequences if they fail to do so in a timely fashion, a new Frontiers in Microbiology study has shown.

Storm-driven sea floods are becoming more frequent as the climate warms, increasingly destroying the nests of threatened wader birds along the Baltic Sea coast. Waders are currently beginning their breeding season.

If you travel around Australia, you will find an incredible diversity of lizards. The three-toed snake-tooth skink (Saiphos reticulatus), for example, is a peculiarly long and stumpy-legged reptile that burrows in rainforest and is covered in a brilliant orange and black-banded pattern. Alpine water skinks (Eulamprus kosciuskoi) are incredibly cold-tolerant and mottled with black and greenish yellow, like mossy rocks in mountain streams. Prickly forest skinks (Concinnia queenslandiae) are delightfully chunky-headed, spiky, armored rainforest gems.