Life sciences writer Susan Milius has been writing about botany, zoology and ecology for Science News since the last millennium. She worked at diverse publications before breaking into science writing and editing. After stints on the staffs of The Scientist, Science, International Wildlife and United Press International, she joined Science News. Three of Susan's articles have been selected to appear in editions of The Best American Science Writing.

All Stories by Susan Milius

  1. Animals

    How weaver ants get a grip

    Strong sticking power and quick reaction time help the insects stay put in trees.

  2. Life

    Bees learn the electric buzz of flowers

    Floral electric fields could join color and fragrance as cues to pollinators.

  3. Animals

    Sea slug carries disposable penis, plus spares

    A hermaphroditic gastropod sheds its penis after one use, then uncoils another.

  4. Animals

    Compared with rodents, bat species carry more viruses

    Viruses that can jump from animals to people may find the flying mammals a fine place to lurk.

  5. Animals

    Cats kill more than one billion birds each year

    New analysis doubles estimate of avian death tolls, revealing that hunting felines take bigger bite out of wildlife than expected.

  6. Animals

    Dung beetles steer by the Milky Way

    The insects orient themselves using starlight, researchers find in planetarium experiments.

  7. Animals

    Finally, the truth about barnacle sex is revealed

    A genetic analysis shows that the sessile crustaceans can broadcast sperm in water, contrary to previous assumptions.

  8. Animals

    Integrative and Comparative Biology

    The hormonal roller coaster that is male pipefish pregancy and collision safety features for flying insects.

  9. Health & Medicine

    Little Mind Benders

    Parasites that sneak into the brain may alter your behavior and health.

  10. Life

    City lights create sexual early birds

    Male blackbirds exposed to nocturnal illumination are ready to mate sooner in spring.

  11. Life

    Victorian zoological map redrawn

    Species distribution patterns that inspired Darwin and Wallace get an update.

  12. Life

    News in brief: Counting project reveals forest’s bug diversity

    Some 25,000 species of arthropods live in Panamanian forest.