Awesome Article on Altruism and Ants

Was browsing the interweb and stumbled upon this article about fire ants and rafts

It's pretty interesting.

Check it out here

-Ariel

DIMMING LIGHTS

The world has more than 2,000 firefly species. There are a host of websites set up to tally population totals.

- Firefly Watch
mos.org/fireflywatch

-Fireflies in Houston
burger.com/firefly.htm

-U.K. Glow Worm Survey
galaxypix.com/glowworms

These sites also have some great firefly photography.

-rachel

"The Coming Plague"

I came across this photograph in an old National Geographic.
A cloud of plague locusts descending on a field outside Melbourne, Australia, in 1955.

-rachel

the worm and the caterpillar

-rachel

Wicked Bugs Very Interesting

http://www.amystewart.com/wickedbugs.html

Honey Bee CO-OP

http://www.chicagohoneycoop.com/

Blattodea In High Fashion, 5 Years Ago

Do you all remember this fashion trend about 5 years ago? Perhaps it didn't run in your social circles, but attractive ladies would wear these bejeweled giant roaches on chains- The Roach Brooch. I don't think this is done all that much anymore though.

http://articles.latimes.com/2006/apr/15/business/fi-roachbrooch15
-Nick

wasps abducting ants

An interesting article/video of wasps abducting ants.

Max

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/04/110406-aliens-wasps-ants-drop-food-new-zealand-animals-science/

?Mullerian Mimicry?

While I was Looking over Some youtube videos, This interesting looking caterpillar.

I can't be sure but, My hypothesis about this particular look is the Lepidopteran caterpillar Mullerian attempt to look like a bat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eyh9v6qhlu4&feature=related

I could very well be wrong!

insects, parasites, and Radiolab...

Hey guys,

So here's a podcast I found in the Radiolab archives that has some cool insect related info. It's pretty long (an hour long) but super entertaining. The whole thing isn't about insects, the topic is parasites in general, but here are some bookmarks...

http://www.radiolab.org/2009/sep/07/

Around 4:50 they talk about caterpillars and cockroaches infected with parasitic wasps

Around 13:00 they talk about parasitic nematodes who infect ants to spread their seed

There are also a bunch of other weird little topics covered like how the hookworm is responasble for the invention of the outhouse.

Anyway, enjoy!

-Marisa

p.s. Check out ANY of the episodes on this site. They are all awesome.

Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Help Against Malaria?

Here's an interesting article about some genetic manipulation going on to try and create a malaria resistant mosquito, which may then be able to spread this genetic advantage on to future generations... Playing Mother Nature, even if the results seem promising, one has to wonder what else may happen here... (I couldn't find a blogger link, so I've pasted a link to the BBC story here. Robb

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-10654599

Strange People Interact With Giant Insects!

Probably my favorite comic-artist is Mark Beyer, an early 90s nightmare-maestro. "Amy and Jordan"- tales of urban paranoia, loneliness, and general desolation- and crawling with insects! Here's a few gems. Click 'em to make 'em big!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------posted by Nicholas Jackson

Tom Eisner - A giant among the tiny ~

 A giant in the field of Insect Studies Tom Eisner died this past week.

His breakthrough work on sensory perception and communication in arthropods was unmatched.

Check out the slide show of some images about his work here from the NY Times.


AY

Natures secret power

Here's a movie I've watched several times in awe. Favorite is how ants keep pets

http://www.hulu.com/watch/200303/ants---natures-secret-power

-Sergio

An audience with a Queen

 

A queen of  Camponotus pennsylvanicus in the bathroom early April.

Sorry gal, you may be royalty, but I'm moving you outside...


AY