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Author Archives: joeballenger2005
What’s going on with the bugs at Burning Man?
@SciBugs @BugQuestions burning question for you!! Please help us identify this massive swarm in the Nevada desert. pic.twitter.com/rxkEIga0Ij — Suzanna (@emerald150) August 18, 2015 A couple days ago, we got a tweet about some bugs which were swarming in Nevada. … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, News, Pest Management, Taxonomy
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Why is this chrysalis always dripping?
Post written by Joe Ballenger This post is going to be odd, because I’m going to start with a confession: This question initially stumped me, and it actually took me a couple weeks to fully figure out what was going … Continue reading
Do wasps bite, and does their saliva have any defensive properties?
Today’s question comes to us from a friend of mine, through a conversation on FB instant messenger. Wasps are a huge group, and at least 150,000 types of bees, wasps and ants have been described by scientists. Despite the fact … Continue reading
Posted in Behavior, Chemistry, Ecology, Evolution, Physiology, Pollination, Research, Taxonomy
Tagged ants, Bees, Beneficial Insects, Biochemistry
8 Comments
Honeybee genetics: how do they work?
Your Name: Farhad Your Bug Question: Hello. I read in a book that worker bees are clones. But how this can happen? Can you explain? Tonight’s question comes from Farhad, who emailed us and asked how bees can be clones. … Continue reading
Posted in Chemistry, Developmental Biology, Evolution, Physiology, Pollination
Tagged Agriculture, Bees, Beneficial Insects, Biochemistry
7 Comments
What insects are entomologists afraid of?
Written by Joe Ballenger Your Name: Jessica Your message: Just wondering if entomologists feared any insect bug or other creatures with lots of legs? I’m recently freaked out but monster freaking demon camel crickets so pretty much every cricket is … Continue reading
How do I become an entomologist?
Post written by Joe Ballenger Your Name: Catherine Mitson Your Bug Question: Hello! I am an undergraduate student studying Conservation Biology at the University of Exeter but my main interest is in insects and I would love to go down … Continue reading
Why do Argentine ants from Georgia fight each other, but Argentine ants from California tolerate one another?
Written by Joe Ballenger @BugQuestions What’s the deal with L. humile on the West Coast (one + colony) vs. East (many warring colonies) – Why? — Nathanael Johnson (@SavorTooth) February 12, 2015 This is one of those questions that’s really … Continue reading
Is there any truth to the rumor that ants eat cows, people and crops?
@BugQuestions I once read a short story called "Leningen Versus the Ants." Any truth to ants eating cows, devouring crops, etc? Thanks! — Permanent Side Eye (@sarahkerr81) February 19, 2015 If you’ve never read the short story Leiningen Versus the … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Ecology, Physiology
Tagged Agriculture, animals, ant, cow, cow killer, farm, locust, sting
8 Comments
What makes a good model organism? How are models different from one another?
Post written by Joe Ballenger This question started out as a conversation with Enlightened Bugs on Twitter. They sent us a picture of a deformed wasp, and asked what could have caused her wings to appear like this: There’s a … Continue reading
Posted in Physiology, Research
Tagged genetics, Insect, life cycle, Model Organism, Physiology
2 Comments
June beetles: what are they, and how do I deal with them?
Written by Joe Ballenger @BugQuestions Nothing in particular, it is just you provide helpful advise prior to them attacking me (trying to get to my floodlight).. 😛 — intrepid wanders (@intrepidwanders) May 28, 2015 Since it’s June, I’ve been getting … Continue reading
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