Tag Archives: Insects

Don’t Get Choked Up Over It! Can Insects Choke?

Posted on October 1, 2017 by SciBugs

Written by Nancy Miorelli This brilliant gem came from a five year old. Kids ask the best questions, don’t they? MY 5 YEAR-OLD: I have a good question ME: okayKID: can bugs chokeME: wow KID: knew it was a good … Continue reading →

Posted in Behavior, Physiology | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Changing Times: How Will Climate Change Affect Insects?

Posted on April 3, 2017 by SciBugs

Written by Nancy Miorelli During my week curating Real Scientists, a twitter account with rotating scientists, communicators, and artists, I had some really great questions about insects come in. One I thought was particularly insightful was about climate change and … Continue reading →

Posted in Ecology, Evolution | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Do insects feel pain?

Posted on August 29, 2016 by joeballenger2005

The last two questions we tackled revolved around the cognitive abilities (communication, and personality) of arthropods, specifically insects and spiders. These are really tough questions to tackle because a lot of people, even (especially?) those who genuinely like insects and … Continue reading →

Posted in Behavior, Physiology | Tagged , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

So what’s the deal with Zika virus? What’s going on in Brazil?

Posted on January 29, 2016 by joeballenger2005

In the recent few weeks, the news has been filling up with stories about a new epidemic called Zika virus. Since it’s a hot topic, and potentially very important, I wanted to write something explaining what this virus is from … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Education, News, Pest Management, Physiology | Tagged , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Black Out: How Do Insects Survive the Winter

Posted on November 2, 2015 by SciBugs

Written by Nancy Miorelli What if the world went suddenly dark? Or cold? Or both? We all know what fate the dinosaurs had, but what would happen to insects? Before we get going on a wild goose chase through a … Continue reading →

Posted in Ecology, Evolution | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

How do I relocate insects and spiders?

Posted on October 11, 2015 by joeballenger2005

This is actually one of the more common questions we get, and it’s a pretty difficult one to answer because every situation is different. Insects can get themselves into a lot of awkward situations, and I can totally relate to … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Education, Insect Rearing, Pest Management | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

What Is That Bug? Thank a Taxonomist!

Posted on July 21, 2015 by SciBugs

Written by Nancy Miorelli We normally reserve our energy for writing about insects,  but we often get inquiries asking us to identify insects. This isn’t our main purpose. We’ll help you as far as we can and then refer you to other blogs, Facebook groups, and websites where entomology … Continue reading →

Posted in Taxonomy | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Can I Bring That On a Plane?

Posted on July 2, 2015 by SciBugs

Written by Nancy Miorelli It’s happened to all of us. You go to the pet store or the adoption agency and fall in love with a big sweet pair of eyes. Or like, 4 pairs of eyes. And 8 legs. Okay, … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture | Tagged , , , , , , , | 27 Comments

Will That Bug Hurt Me?

Posted on May 26, 2015 by SciBugs

Written by Nancy Miorelli We have to get something out of the way first. A lot of people use the word “poisonous” to mean “It hurt me more than just a bite and I could probably die”. However, “Poisonous” and “Venomous” … Continue reading →

Posted in Ecology | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Can Bugs Spit, Puke, or Do Both?

Posted on May 11, 2015 by SciBugs

Written by Nancy Miorelli Simple answer is yes and yes! There’s a couple reasons why insects spit or vomit. The first is to protect itself. To help digest food. But lets look at some specific examples.

Posted in Behavior | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment