Bumble Bee’s Nightmare: ‘Before You Dig Your Own Grave, I will Eat You from Inside.’
BUMBLE BEE’S NIGHTMARE: ‘BEFORE YOU DIG YOUR GRAVE, I WILL EAT YOU FROM INSIDE Conopid Fly A conopid fly (Physocephala tibialis) larva is a parasite that you can see only through a microscope. An adult conopid fly lies in wait near flowers for its victim—the bumblebee. When a bee approaches, the conopid fly attacks the bee in…
Read MoreHow do Flies Use Their Halteres to Balance?
HOW DO FLIES USE HALTERES TO BALANCE? Researchers have long known that when you surgically remove the halteres, a fly can take off but fails to balance in midair. Halteres are tiny structures that look like the second set of wings. How do halteres work? A Ph.D. candidate in biology, Alexandra Yarger, from Case Western…
Read MoreWhy Do Birds Migrate?
WHY DO BIRDS MIGRATE? Pair of wandering albatrosses on a nest Albatrosses in the air When birds travel between breeding and wintering grounds every season the movement is called migration. The move is usually along an established path often dictated by natural barriers such as the Caribbean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. The birds often…
Read MoreWhy are Moths and Bright Lights Inseparable?
WHY ARE MOTHS AND BRIGHT LIGHTS INSEPARABLE? Moth Moths will go round and round bright lights until morning or when they drop. They seem oblivious to the presence of predators such as geckos. Even the heat of the bulb does not deter them. The moths can stay near a bright light for days until it…
Read MoreTwo-Headed Snakes—is it a Myth or Fact?
TWO-HEADED SNAKES—IS IT A MYTH OR FACT? A two-headed copperhead snake was discovered recently in Woodbridge, Virginia. The snake has a single stomach, but its two heads rarely co-operate. The snake was collected by Dr. Kleopfer, from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. He was surprised to find the snake in the wild.…
Read More“Caterpillars Are on the Menu Tonight”
“CATERPILLARS ARE ON THE MENU TONIGHT” Ngala edible caterpillars, DRC; Credit: Wikimedia Commons Fried cricket, Thailand Our host from the Democratic Republic of Congo said the above words. At first, I found the thought of eating caterpillars was unpalatable to me. You may feel the same way. However, it is not as bad as you…
Read MoreIs a Cockroach Infection to Blame for Your Insistent Cough?
IS A COCKROACH INFECTION TO BLAME FOR YOUR INSISTENT COUGH? Cockroach You have this cough that does not go away. Your nose is stuffy. You suffer from sinus and ear infections. Other symptoms include wheezing, itchy eyes, and flu-like symptoms. Your ailment is not apparent to your doctor. It is hard to believe, but a…
Read MoreOdor Memory—the Secret of Desert Ants’ Survival
ODOR MEMORY—THE SECRET OF DESERT ANTS’ SURVIVAL? Cataglyphis fortis ant Cataglyphis fortis is an ant found in the North African desert. It uses its sense of smell to find food and the way to its nest. You see similar ants in deserts around the world. Navigating in the vast salt pans of the Tunisian Sahara…
Read MoreFemale Dance Flies—Why Do They Inflate Their Bodies?
FEMALE DANCE FLIES—WHY DO THEY INFLATE THEIR BODIES? Dance fly Female dance flies of the species Rhamphomyia longicauda suck in air and inflate their bodies to attract males. According to a new study by Rosalind Murray at the University of Toronto Mississauga and her colleagues, male dance flies are more attracted to larger females with hair-like…
Read MoreHoney Bee Clusters—How Do They Survive Stressful Conditions?
HONEY BEE CLUSYERS—HOW DO THEY SURVIVE STRESSFUL CONDITIONS? cluster of bees For various reasons bees often leave their current nest and go out to find a new place to live, led by a queen. Before they locate a new nest, they protect themselves by forming a cluster hanging from a tree branch. The groups are built…
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