Monthly Archives: July 2012

Living With Caverneleodes

Posted on July 31, 2012 by jjneal

Welcome Eleodes wynnei! About 400,000 species of beetles (Coleoptera) have been described; new species are discovered and described at a rapid pace. Searching unexplored areas often leads to discoveries of new species. Not all unexplored areas are deep in tropical … Continue reading →

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

Bad Insect Metaphors

Posted on July 30, 2012 by jjneal

Economists often talk in metaphors. Good metaphors can be useful communications tools- compare a new concept to a familiar concept. Bad metaphors do not help communications. Instead they misinform and are sometimes used to change the subject or dismiss awkward … Continue reading →

Posted in by jjneal, Literature, News, Policy | 8 Comments

Communication Through Art

Posted on July 29, 2012 by jjneal

The National Library in Canberra, Australia is sponsoring an exhibit featuring the work of artist, John William Lewin. Lewin went to Australia in 1800 under the sponsorship of a wealthy London insect collector who wished to have drawings of the … Continue reading →

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Fighting Exotics With Exotics

Posted on July 28, 2012 by jjneal

Invasive plant species can cause drastic changes to ecosystems by displacing native plant and animal species. In aquatic environments, invasive plants can clog waterways and be especially difficult to control. One success story is the control of Alligator Weed, Alternanthera … Continue reading →

Posted in by jjneal, Environment, Invasive Species | Leave a comment

Friday Cat-erpillar Blogging: Antennae

Posted on July 27, 2012 by jjneal

The head of insects contains most of the sensory organs. Like all insects, caterpillars have one pair of antennae and they are involved in chemoreception, the sense of smell. The caterpillar antennae arise from small sockets on the front of … Continue reading →

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Road Kill Question

Posted on July 26, 2012 by jjneal

onemeeeliondollars has an interesting YouTube Video about drivers running over animals. In his study, he chose a stretch of highway with a large shoulder area and placed either a rubber snake, a rubber turtle, a rubber tarantula (the entomological connection) … Continue reading →

Posted in behavior, by jjneal, Environment | 1 Comment

The Insect Watering Hole

Posted on July 25, 2012 by jjneal

In dry areas where water is scarce and watering holes are few, animals must visit the watering hole daily. The watering hole provides relief from thirst but may contain hidden dangers. The watering hole will attract predators that wait for … Continue reading →

Posted in behavior, by jjneal, Environment | Leave a comment