[8] Bacteria belonging to this genus have been detected in a variety of environments, such as: soil, water, rhizosphere, vegetable matter, forage and insect larvae, as well as clinical samples.

The genus includes P. larvae, which causes American foulbrood in honeybees, P. polymyxa, which is capable of fixing nitrogen, so is used in agriculture and horticulture, the Paenibacillus sp.

JDR-2 which is a rich source of chemical agents for biotechnology applications, and pattern-forming strains such as P. vortex and P. dendritiformis discovered in the early 90s,[13][14][15][16][17] which develop complex colonies with intricate architectures[18][19][20][21][22] as shown in the pictures: Interest in Paenibacillus spp.

Indirect mechanisms include controlling phytopathogens by competing for resources such as iron, amino acids and sugars, as well as by producing antibiotics or lytic enzymes.

More extensive genome sequencing could provide fundamental insights into pathways involved in complex social behavior of bacteria, and can discover a source of genes with biotechnological potential.

Development of such complex colonies require self-organization and cooperative behavior of individual cells while employing sophisticated chemical communication called quorum sensing.

[13][14][18][20][21][36][37][38] Pattern formation and self-organization in microbial systems is an intriguing phenomenon and reflects social behaviors of bacteria[37][39] that might provide insights into the evolutionary development of the collective action of cells in higher organisms.