It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Polly, our infamous and beloved burgundy goliath bird-eating tarantula. Polly was a true queen amongst arachnids, demanding respect and […]
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Notes from the Lab: Life Finds a Way
Many consider insects to be the most successful lifeforms on the planet. If you’re a longtime reader of Notes from the Lab, it should come as no surprise that they […]
Read MoreNotes from the Lab: Snow Fleas
Winter doesn’t technically start for another week, but it certainly made an early arrival in our corner of the world. While I miss the noisy din of insects at the height of summer, […]
Read MoreNotes from the Lab: Spider Myths (Part II)
It’s time to break down some popular myths surrounding spiders! Myth: “The daddy long leg is the most venomous spider in the world, but its fangs are too small to […]
Read MoreNotes from the Lab: Insect Sleep
Sleep is nearly universal within animals. Though it may present differently between species, everyone needs a rest now and then. Insects are no exception. Sleep signatures in insects resemble those […]
Read MoreNotes from the Lab: Entomophagy
What did you have for breakfast this morning? Cereal? Eggo waffles? Pan-fried scorpion? If consuming insects has never crossed your mind, then you’d be considered the minority. Western culture has […]
Read MoreNotes from the Lab: Bloodsuckers
Happy Halloween to you all! We’re wrapping up this month’s gruesome topics with a primer on the vampires of the insect world. Mosquitos have certainly earned their place as the number one […]
Read MoreNotes from the Lab: Weird Science
Welcome back to the Lab! For the last several weeks, our Barcoding US Ants participants have been actively involved in the wet lab portion of our project. During the summer, […]
Read MoreGolden Dung Fly (Scathophaga stercoraria), male
Luckily for our identification efforts, this is a male Golden Dung Fly. They are a bit easier to identify than the grayer females since they are bright yellow or golden in color. […]
Read MoreFour-spotted Tree Cricket (Oecanthus quadripunctatus), male
If you find a green tree cricket in North America, you can be certain it is in the genus Oecanthus. Most can be identified to species by examining the markings on the […]
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