Monthly Archives: November 2015

Living With Color

Posted on November 30, 2015 by jjneal

The human visual system is trichromatic as are many insect visual systems.   Humans have red, green and blue color receptor types while many insects have green, blue and ultraviolet types.   The molecular basis of these color receptors are … Continue reading →

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

Living With Mites

Posted on November 29, 2015 by jjneal

This above image, Mites On Pupa, by Rogelio Moreno Gill won honorable mention at the 2015 Nikon Small World Photo Competition. Stacking software was used to merge a series of images for improved depth of field. The complex shapes and … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, by jjneal, Environment | 1 Comment

Living With Nitrogen

Posted on November 28, 2015 by jjneal

It is possible to create a plastron of pure oxygen by placing beetles without plastrons into an atmosphere of pure oxygen. When beetles with oxygen plastron submerge, the plastron shrinks over the first several days, then stabilizes. A plastron created … Continue reading →

Posted in Biomaterials, by jjneal, Environment | 1 Comment

Making Bubbles

Posted on November 27, 2015 by jjneal

The plastron of the long-toed beetle, Helichus striatus, does not form spontaneously when the beetle submerges. The beetle actively creates a plastron in a process that requires at least a half hour and more typically takes a couple of hours. … Continue reading →

Posted in behavior, by jjneal, Environment | 1 Comment

Groomed For Submersion

Posted on November 26, 2015 by jjneal

The beetle, Helichus striatus, has hydrofuge hairs that hold the plastron (air bubble) in place. If the plastron is lost, the hydrophobic nature of the hairs dissipate and the hairs become hydrophilic.  The hydrophobic coating must be replaced. Beetles that lose … Continue reading →

Posted in behavior, Biomaterials | 1 Comment

Living With Plastrons

Posted on November 25, 2015 by jjneal

Helichus striatus is a “long-toed” beetle in the family Dryopidae. Although these beetles are aquatic, they do not swim, but cling to sticks and other floating detritus. They lack physical gills that are present in many groups of aquatic insects. … Continue reading →

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Living With Underwater Insects

Posted on November 24, 2015 by jjneal

Many insects have larvae that are aquatic but an adult that is terrestrial. Until early in the 20th Century, it was widely assumed that no adult insect could live under water for sustained periods. The French Biologist, F. Brocher, changed these beliefs … Continue reading →

Posted in by jjneal, Environment | 1 Comment