Category Archives: Taxonomy

Pump It Up

Posted on June 22, 2017 by jjneal

Butterfly mouthparts are long tubes that can be inserted into the narrow channels formed by flowers to reach a nectar reward. Flying or walking while dragging an extended tube would be awkward. Packaging the mouthparts into a tightly coiled tube … Continue reading →

Posted in by jjneal, Environment, Taxonomy | 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

Know Your Insects

Posted on June 20, 2017 by jjneal

Firefighters in Hamburg, Germany were called to an historic church by reports of smoke rising from the building. Upon arrival, the firefighters found no smoke and no fire. What they did find was a swarm of gnats above the roof … Continue reading →

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

Robert Evans Snodgrass

Posted on June 4, 2017 by jjneal

R.E. Snodgrass is familiar to most entomologists as the author of The Principles of Insect Morphology. Snodgrass was interested in biology at a young age and practiced taxodermy on birds. His family sent him to a religious prep school where … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, by jjneal, Taxonomy | 1 Comment

Looking for Patrons

Posted on May 4, 2017 by jjneal

Prior to the era of the modern government research grant, art and scientific research were largely funded by subsidies from wealthy patrons. Many of the Great Scientists and Artists of the Renaissance were supported by Patrons. However, Patrons were few … Continue reading →

Posted in by jjneal, Insect Inspired, Policy, Taxonomy | 1 Comment

Living With Temitophiles

Posted on April 30, 2017 by jjneal

Social insects have “guests” that take up residence (uninvited) in the nest. Several species of beetles can be found within termite mounds. Fossils of termitophile beetles are present in Baltic amber indicating that beetle-termite relationships date to at least 19 … Continue reading →

Posted in by jjneal, History, Taxonomy | 1 Comment

Living With Caddisfly Pupae

Posted on April 6, 2017 by jjneal

The insect groups with the greatest number of species all have complete metamorphosis. This is as true with aquatic insects as terrestrial insects. The group with the largest number of aquatic species is the Diptera (Flies). Although dragonflies and mayflies … Continue reading →

Posted in by jjneal, Environment, Taxonomy | 1 Comment