Monthly Archives: August 2013

Insects On Airplanes

Posted on August 31, 2013 by jjneal

In a previous post, I discussed wing modifications designed to minimize airplane collisions with insects. Insect debris stuck to the outside of airplanes creates drag and reduces fuel efficiency. Instead of wing modification, NASA is trying another approach: put a … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments

Friday Cat-erpillar Blogging: Damage Dispersal

Posted on August 30, 2013 by jjneal

Caterpillar feeding damage on plants is often easier to find than the caterpillars themselves. Some caterpillars only feed on plants at night, then hide off the plant during the day. Others change location after each feeding bout. Why? Entomologists have … Continue reading →

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

Flying The Friendly Skies

Posted on August 29, 2013 by jjneal

For hundreds of millions of years, insects ruled the skies as the only flying animals. Since the evolution of flying reptiles, then birds, then bats, insects have been required to share. In the last century, aircraft have been added to … Continue reading →

Posted in by jjneal, Environment, Insect Inspired | 3 Comments

Drones to Combat Mosquitoes?

Posted on August 28, 2013 by jjneal

The Miami Keys have problems with mosquitoes and the diseases they transmit, including Dengue fever which is recently on the rise. Some of the disease vectors are salt marsh mosquitoes that breed in ponds that form from high tides or … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Insects on the Diamond

Posted on August 27, 2013 by jjneal

Yahoo sports has a great series of photos of Insects on the Baseball Field. There is the famous swarm of gnats during the Yankees-Cleveland playoff series, some great shots of praying mantids on clothing and baseballs, and an awesome honey … Continue reading →

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Living With Clean Water

Posted on August 27, 2013 by jjneal

Mayflies have aquatic larvae that are sensitive to water pollution. Their absence can indicate poor water quality and high pollution. The Danube River near Tahitotfalu, Hungary was once a site of large mayfly swarms but the water was degraded by … Continue reading →

Posted in by jjneal, Environment | 1 Comment

Living With Lavender

Posted on August 25, 2013 by jjneal

Lavender is a popular ornamental near tall buildings. It is robust and can fill substantial spaces with waves of tall purple stalks. Like many of the mints, Lavender produces substantial amounts of nectar to attract pollinators, especially hymenoptera such as … Continue reading →

Posted in behavior, by jjneal, Environment | 2 Comments