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Science
Migratory Dragonfly Citizen Science!
Most people know about monarch butterfly migration, but there are actually other insects in the US that migrate. That includes 16 species of American dragonflies! Some researchers actually attached tiny radio transmitters to some Green Darners and followed their movements. The average distance migrated was 58 km (about 36 miles), but some dragonflies traveled twice that distance. A paper from 1998 described mass autumn…
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Science
It’s hard out there for a bee
I’ve written various laments about CCD (Colony Collapse Disorder) in honey bees here over the last few years. One key problem is that CCD as described by entomologists is not the same as “disappearing bees” as described by media or Hollywood. (Although, to be fair, “vanishing bees” is a pretty cool idea, suggesting that perhaps aliens have decided to abduct bees…
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Science
Bumblebees in Spring
It is finally starting to reliably warm up in spring, although we still have a few cold evenings. Bumblebees are one of the first pollinators out in the spring, and the fuzzy adorableness of their bodies does help retain heat. With the help of a thermal camera, David Attenborough shows us some other clever tricks that let these “cold-blooded” insects warm up and…
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Afternoon Inquisition
Sunday AI: An Adventure with Scientists
I am traveling to the West Coast this week, and while I'm there I'm hoping I can pick up the latest movie from Aardman Studios: The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists. It has Darwin! And a dodo! And pirates! Sadly, the original UK title was changed for the US release to remove the word "Scientists." From the link above: "By…
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Science
Cochineal Taxonomy Fail
Alas, Starbucks has backpedaled and decided to remove cochineal from all its food and drink products. This is a shame, since as I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, cochineal is an insect-derived dye that provides an important source of cash for a lot of rural Central and South American people. There is also evidence the culture and sale of cochineal leads…
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Science
Art made of Aedeagus
Well, sort of. An artist down under has created an exhibit of insect penises. (Or, to use the proper name for insect intromittent organs, aedeagi.) "Dr Freud could not have conjured a more disturbing fantasy. Yet all these male members are real. These are insect penises – magnified, modelled, photographed or rendered in glass and resin. Creepy, beautiful and seemingly…
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Science
Are Neonicotinoid Pesticides Killing Bees?
This was a big week for bee news! New research on bees and pesticides was published, and a major white paper from the Xerces Society on the same topic was released. The pesticides in question are called Neonicotinoids, since they are derived from nicotine (used as a pesticide since the 1700's). "Neonics" are systemic insecticides, or insecticides that are taken up…
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Science
Waiter, There’s a Bug in my Frappuccino
This headline…may be a bit of an overstatement: "Soy Strawberry Frappuccinos are the latest threat to the vegan community." Vegans are feeling threatened(?) by the revelation that Starbucks Soy Frappuccinos contain insect juice. Specifically, cochineal insect extract used as a reddish food coloring. Is there really "bug juice" in your Strawberry Frappuccino? Yes! The Seattle Times has some good reporting on…
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