Category Archives: Culture

What would it be like to eat a bug that was about as large as a loaf of bread?

Posted on February 23, 2021 by JoanieTheEntomologist

“What would it be like to eat a bug that was about as large as a loaf of bread? This question was inspired by a video game called Grounded, in which shrunken kids have to survive on a lawn, which … Continue reading →

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Deathwatch Beetles – Spooky Sounds

Posted on October 27, 2020 by JoanieTheEntomologist

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 →

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Coming Out of the Woodwork: Worm Shoes, Mayflower II Restoration, and Maintaining Wood for the Long Term

Posted on November 27, 2017 by SciBugs

Written by Nancy Miorelli Edited by Dylan Perry My Dad has interesting hobbies and interests. One such interest is history – specifically during the age of tall ships. Tall ships are those ships that are cruising around in Pirates of … Continue reading →

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Why Do Bugs Circle Lights and Fibonacci, and Other Mathematical Patterns Found in Insects

Posted on June 12, 2017 by SciBugs

Written by Nancy Miorelli I recently received this question when talking to one of the tourists at the Maquipucuna Ecolodge, where I work. I thought it was so interesting because we always hear about mathematical patterns – especially Fibonacci sequences … Continue reading →

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DDT: The Situation Today

Posted on April 25, 2017 by Polistes fuscatus

Written by Joe Ballenger I wanted to dedicate another post to some of my other concerns about the pro-DDT movement. When I read posts which advocate DDT reintroduction in the US, a small amount of attention is paid to issues … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Economics, Evolution, History, Law, Pest Management, Physiology, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Do we need to bring back DDT?

Posted on April 22, 2017 by Polistes fuscatus

Written by Joe Ballenger I’ve had a number of friends ask me to tackle the topic of possibly bringing back DDT. These requests go back months, and I’ve been hesitant to tackle the topic because of the politics surrounding this … Continue reading →

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Entolegality: Do entomologists have special bug privileges?

Posted on February 7, 2017 by Polistes fuscatus

Written by Joe Ballenger Is it true that you can order insects when it is illegal for me to order them? Example I would wanna buy a beetle from Japan and it’s illegal for me to own one can you … Continue reading →

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Why is spider silk so strong? Can we scale it up?

Posted on January 13, 2017 by Polistes fuscatus

Written by Joe Ballenger Hi, I’m on a Lego League team with my school and we are wanting to know more about spiders for our research project. Some questions I hope you can help us with are, what makes a … Continue reading →

Posted in Chemistry, Culture, Ecology, Economics, Physiology, Research, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

I’m Afraid of Bed Bugs and Infestation … Help?

Posted on October 28, 2016 by SciBugs

Written by Nancy Miorelli It’s no wonder people are afraid of bugs with how they’re portrayed in the media. It’s true that insects are our major competitors for both our food and our health and invade our homes. In my … Continue reading →

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What is it like to be a scientist?

Posted on September 6, 2016 by joeballenger2005

Written by Joe Ballenger Your Name: Chelsea Your Bug Question: Hi, I’m a middle school student and I was hoping you could answer a few of my questions about being an entomologist for a research paper I’m writing. Your Name: … Continue reading →

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