Category Archives: behavior

Ants Attend Wimbledon

Posted on July 6, 2017 by jjneal

In the first week of July, the sports world spotlight is on the Wimbledon Tennis Tournament. This year (2017) the annual swarms of flying ants coincided with the tennis tournament. The ants invaded the courts flying into the faces of … Continue reading →

Posted in behavior, by jjneal, News, Sports | 1 Comment

Living With Pollen

Posted on July 4, 2017 by jjneal

We can watch bumblebees enter a series of flowers and fly home with the pollen baskets on its hind legs brimming with pollen. How is pollen collected? Pollen is produced by the anthers of flowers. Upon entering a flower, a … Continue reading →

Posted in behavior, by jjneal | 1 Comment

Maintaining Flight Stability

Posted on July 3, 2017 by jjneal

Insects face dangers that can damage their locomotor appendages. Any hope of successful reproduction requires compensation for loss of an appendage. Damselflies that lose one of their hind wings are not crippled.  They are still capable of flight, flying in … Continue reading →

Posted in behavior, by jjneal, Environment, Insect Inspired | 1 Comment

Fly and Presidents

Posted on June 26, 2017 by jjneal

As long as presidents give speeches outdoors, there will be flies. In an age where every moment is recorded on camera, there will be videos of presidents and flies. Former US President Obama famously dispatched an annoying fly with quick … Continue reading →

Posted in behavior, by jjneal, Food, News | Leave a comment

Insects As Architects?

Posted on June 25, 2017 by jjneal

The Monmouth Museum in Lincroft, NJ has a current exhibit: Animal Architects. The exhibit features the work of New Jersey Artists that depict modification of the environment by animals including insects. Some modification are made by building such as mud … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, behavior, by jjneal, Insect Inspired | 1 Comment

Living On Nectar

Posted on June 21, 2017 by jjneal

Many butterflies visit flowers to obtain nectar, a fluid produced by flowers that contains sugars and other nutrients. Flowers often restrict access to nectar by their shape. A long tube such as the proboscis of a butterfly is necessary to … Continue reading →

Posted in behavior, by jjneal, Taxonomy | 2 Comments

Shake a Leg

Posted on June 9, 2017 by jjneal

Insects face many predators in the environment.  Often a predator will grasp insect prey by a limb. Ants can grasp a leg to immobilize an insect until its nest mates can swarm the insect and kill it.  One means of … Continue reading →

Posted in behavior, by jjneal, Environment | 1 Comment