Monthly Archives: March 2013

Help from the Wind

Posted on March 31, 2013 by jjneal

Crypsis (blending with the surroundings) is common among the Praying Mantises that can be difficult to detect when they perch on the flowers and leaves of plants that they mimic. On a still day, a cryptic mantis can wait motionless … Continue reading →

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

Living With Fairy Circles

Posted on March 30, 2013 by jjneal

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

Friday Cat-erpillar Blogging: Caterpillar Fungus

Posted on March 29, 2013 by jjneal

Caterpillar fungus, Ophiocordyceps sinensis, is in high demand because of its purported medicinal and aphrodisiac properties. Marketing geniuses are selling it to a world audience as, ‘Himalayan Viagra’. Ophiocordyceps sinensis, is found in the Himalayan mountains in association with Ghost … Continue reading →

Posted in Biomaterials, by jjneal, Caterpillar Blogging, Environment, Health | 2 Comments

Living With ‘Hidden Odors’

Posted on March 28, 2013 by jjneal

Odors are chemicals, present in the air that stimulate olfactory receptors. Not all chemicals in the air produce an odor. Carbon dioxide has been described as a “colorless and odorless gas”, which is true for humans. However, many insects have … Continue reading →

Posted in behavior, by jjneal, Environment | 1 Comment

Living With Blattabacterium

Posted on March 27, 2013 by jjneal

Scavengers often feed on diets that are poor in some of the essential nutrients required for growth and development. This includes cockroaches, which as a group are primarily scavengers feeding on dead organic matter. Cockroaches supplement dietary deficiencies by hosting … Continue reading →

Posted in Biomaterials, by jjneal, Environment | 2 Comments

Attitude for Altitude

Posted on March 26, 2013 by jjneal

Insects have the ability to set how high above the ground they fly. The environmental cues used to set the “cruising height” of an insect have been debated. One model had postulated that insects determine their height based on optic … Continue reading →

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

The Beat Goes On

Posted on March 25, 2013 by jjneal

Insects can beat their wings rapidly; some insects up to 1000 times per second. Every beat of the wings requires each set of opposing flight muscles to contract and stretch. In the 1960s, it was discovered that the maximum frequency … Continue reading →

Posted in behavior, Biomaterials, by jjneal | 1 Comment