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Friday Fact - Scoliid Wasps

Fri, 17 May 2013 09:30:33 +0000

Did you know...

The larvae of scoliid wasps parasitize scarab beetle larvae. Female scoliid wasps dig in the soil to find burrowed grubs, and then sting them to immobilize them. The female then deposits her eggs on the grub's back, so her larvae can emerge to find a ready-to-eat meal.

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Bug of the Week - May 15, 2013

Wed, 15 May 2013 08:30:33 +0000

If you can tell me something more than "It's a spider," you're ready to play Bug of the Week. See if you can identify this 8-legged critter, and post your answer in a comment below. Next week, I'll give you the answer and a new challenge.

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Endangered Carrion Beetles Released in Ohio Today

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:42:45 +0000

The American burying beetle (Nicrophorus americanus) once inhabited 35 U.S. states. Its dramatic disappearance from all but six states prompted federal action to protect it in 1989, when Nicrophorus americanus was listed as an endangered species. Since then, scientists have attempted to reintroduce the American burying beetle in several states, including Massachusetts, Missouri, and Ohio. Today, lab-reared beetles will be released in Fernald Nature Preserve, northwest of Cincinnati.

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Friday Fact - Osmeterium

Fri, 10 May 2013 09:30:58 +0000

Did you know...

All swallowtail caterpillars (family Papilionidae) bear an unusual defensive structure called an osmeterium. The forked osmeterium remains hidden in a slit on the back of the caterpillar's neck, unless the caterpillar senses danger. The osmeterium is essentially a stink gland, and if you threaten a swallowtail caterpillar in any way, you will quickly get to see (and smell) it.

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Bug of the Week - May 8, 2013

Wed, 08 May 2013 08:30:17 +0000

Here's your Bug of the Week, a weekly insect identification challenge. Can you identify this insect to genus? If you think you can, post your answer in a comment, and check back next Wednesday to see if you were right. Good luck!

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Yeast-Wielding Ants Change Sugar Chemistry of Flower Nectar

Mon, 06 May 2013 12:16:26 +0000

Ants aren't just passive foragers visiting flowers to feed on nectar, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Botany. They carry sugar-metabolizing yeasts, which actually change the sugar chemistry of the flower nectar.

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Friday Fact - Rain Beetles

Fri, 03 May 2013 09:30:53 +0000

Did you know...

Rain beetles (family Pleocomidae) are so called because the males fly when the humidity is high, such as after a rainfall. Males fly in search of mates, following the scent trail of sex pheromones released by receptive females. The females lack functional wings, and so stay put near their larval burrows in the soil. Adult rain beetles don't feed at all - in fact, they don't even have a digestive tract - and so must mate and lay eggs quickly before they die. Rain beetles inhabit the western U.S.

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Bug of the Week - May 1, 2013

Wed, 01 May 2013 08:30:10 +0000

I don't post insects from this order very often, so I thought it was long overdue. Do you know what this is? This bug is foraging for pollen and nectar, which is actually a rather unusual behavior for an insect in this group (hint!). If you can identify this insect, post an answer in the comments below. As always, I'll give you a week before I post the answer and a new challenge.

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The Buzz - April 2013

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 00:01:38 +0000

One last look at the new articles published this month on About Insects:

Friday Fact - The Cost of Exotic, Invasive Forests Pests

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 09:30:30 +0000

Did you know...

Non-native or exotic forest pests cost the U.S. billions of dollars each year. A 2011 study estimated the annual costs associated with exotic tree pests at well over $2 billion annually, most of which is borne by local governments. Boring insects, like the emerald ash borer and Asian longhorned beetle...
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