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Monthly Archives: October 2020
Deathwatch Beetles – Spooky Sounds
Tick, tick. Tap, tap, tap. These sounds are produced by a deathwatch beetle (Xestobium rufovillosum). Old buildings can sometimes give us spooky vibes. However, for the deathwatch beetle, they are quite welcoming. This is because these beetles are woodboring and … Continue reading
Poll for next week’s blog post – Halloween Theme
Howdy y’all. We wanted to try something a little different. For next week’s post, I have a couple of topics in mind – but I’m only going to write about one. Which topic would you like to read about next … Continue reading
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Do Insects Have Taste Buds?
Insects do smell and taste and the sensation is different. We’re not exactly sure what the insect experiences when they are tasting vs smelling but behavioral studies have shown us that they are are different. If the insect is picking up airborne volatiles we say that they are “smelling”. If they come in direct contact with it – like a fly landing on your pizza – we call it “tasting”. If you want some fancy words to throw around, insect tasting is technically referred to as contact chemoreception or gustatory chemoreception. Continue reading
Posted in Chemistry, Physiology
Tagged bugs taste, can insects taste, insect taste buds, insects smell, insects taste, maxillary palps, taste buds
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Why are baby scorpions born white?
A student of mine is researching scorpions and he has a question about emperor scorpions that we have been unable to answer through our own research. He has learned that baby emperor scorpions are born white, but he cannot find … Continue reading
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