Monthly Archives: January 2012

Beetle Jokes

Posted on January 31, 2012 by

By popular demand, more insect jokes, Beetle Mania Edition. Q. Why did the entomologists choose the rice weevil over the acorn weevil? A. It was the lesser of two weevils Q. What did the forester say when he found the … Continue reading →

Posted in Invasive Species, jokes, Music | 2 Comments

Indoor Entomology

Posted on January 31, 2012 by

In spite of temperatures in the 50s (10 degrees C) here in Indiana, most of the overwintering insects are still in diapause. Entomologists must turn their gaze indoors. A common winter indoor insect is the Indian Meal Moth. These moths … Continue reading →

Posted in behavior, Food, Pest Management | Leave a comment

Flat-headed Borers

Posted on January 29, 2012 by

Healthy trees have a number of defenses against insect damage. However, trees that have been “stressed” can be vulnerable to damage by insects, especially those that bore into the wood. The sapwood is the softest and most nutritious part of … Continue reading →

Posted in behavior, Environment | 2 Comments

Manduca Hawk Moth

Posted on January 29, 2012 by

Manduca sexta, the tobacco hornworm, is used for a variety of entomological studies. An artificial diet is available making it relatively easy to rear in the laboratory. It is a relatively large moth which makes it easier to do many … Continue reading →

Posted in behavior, Environment | 3 Comments

Friday Cat-erpillar Blogging

Posted on January 27, 2012 by

Caterpillars are well adapted for feeding and growth. A newly hatched tomato hornworm caterpillar is less than 5 mm in length (1/4 inch). In a couple of weeks it can grow to thousands of times its initial weight. The caterpillars … Continue reading →

Posted in Caterpillar Blogging | 4 Comments

Sweat Bees

Posted on January 26, 2012 by

Entomologists have described about 20,000 species of bees. Bees are related to wasps. However, unlike most wasps that feed on other insects, bees get most of their protein by collecting pollen. Since pollen is such an important component of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Environment | 4 Comments

Living With Insects In Sports (Photoshop Edition)

Posted on January 25, 2012 by

As I posted on Monday, Insects are unpopular in the world of tennis. Is tennis unpopular in the world of insects? Not according to the humor site, SomethingAwful. Several years ago, SomethingAwful posted a PhotoshopPhriday that featured photoshopped features of … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Sports | Leave a comment