Category Archives: Biomaterials

Bee Biomaterials

Posted on June 12, 2013 by

Bees have long been used as a source of biomaterials: honey, beeswax, bee pollen and royal jelly all have commercial markets. Scientists hope to add another bee biomaterial, Bee Silk. Like many insects, bees produce silk. The larvae line the … Continue reading →

Posted in Biomaterials, by jjneal | Leave a comment

Living With Malaria

Posted on June 6, 2013 by

It is not uncommon for pathogens to affect their host behavior in ways that increase the transmission of the pathogen. A group of scientists have discovered* that malaria mosquitos, Anopheles gambiae infected with the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, landed on … Continue reading →

Posted in behavior, Biomaterials, by jjneal, Health, Pest Management | Leave a comment

Friday Cat-erpillar Blogging: Toxic Caterpillars

Posted on May 17, 2013 by

The Oak Processionary Moth, Thaumetopoea processionea, has been expanding its range. A native of Southern and Central Europe, the moth has expanded into the Netherlands, Belgium and Northern Germany. Why is its range expanding? One factor is movement of plants … Continue reading →

Posted in Biomaterials, by jjneal, Caterpillar Blogging, Education, Environment, Health, Invasive Species, Pest Management | 1 Comment

Reflections on Color

Posted on May 2, 2013 by

Many butterflies have brilliant colors, giant billboards that advertise their presence to potential mates. Color pattern and color constancy are important for mate recognition. Butterfly colors are produced by the pigments and fine structure of wing scales. The scales are … Continue reading →

Posted in Biomaterials, by jjneal, Insect Inspired | 1 Comment

Building the egg

Posted on April 20, 2013 by

The eggs of insects are complex structures with many adpatations that support the growth and development of the insect embryo. The chorion (shell) of an insect egg is produced by cells in the ovaries of female insects. The chorion provides … Continue reading →

Posted in Biomaterials, by jjneal | 1 Comment

Living With Hard Wings

Posted on April 2, 2013 by

Beetles fly using their membranous hind wings which are similar to wings of other insects. The fore wings of beetles are distinctive. They are thickened and hard, providing a protective covering for the more fragile hind wings. Thus beetles can … Continue reading →

Posted in Biomaterials, by jjneal, Taxonomy | Leave a comment

Living With Fairy Circles

Posted on March 30, 2013 by

For years, the creators of the Fairy Circles visible in the deserts of Namibia have remained a mystery. Recently, the culprit has been identified by Norbert Juergens and is reported in the Journal, Science*. The sand termite, Psammotermes allocerus, creates … Continue reading →

Posted in behavior, Biomaterials, by jjneal, Environment, Uncategorized | 1 Comment