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Category Archives: Physiology
Why are cicadas showing up dead on my porch?
We get a lot of letters in our inbox, and some of my favorite inquiries are ID requests where someone also notices something interesting going on. Here’s an example of one such question: Your Name: Becky Boots Your Bug Question: … Continue reading
I saw some roaches dancing. What are they doing?
Awhile back, we received an astute question from Tabitha who found some cockroaches acting really weird. Your Name: Tabitha Your message: Hey there! I work in an office by a beautiful flowing creek. Every time it rains, brown roaches come … Continue reading
Posted in Behavior, Chemistry, Pest Management, Physiology
Tagged Biochemistry, Cockroach, Physiology
2 Comments
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
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
If a Bug Is Dropped From a Tall Building, Will It Splat?
Written by Nancy Miorelli Math Help from Matt Zawodniak If you’d like a snarky answer, then this is going to be short and you can go on your merry way. The bug would probably just fly away. Even insects with … Continue reading
Posted in Physiology
Tagged Bug, Cockroach, Empire State Building, Physics, Terminal Velocity
2 Comments
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
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