Bug Bytes
Education Podcasts
As described by Edward O. Wilson — perhaps the best known American biologist, researcher, naturalist and author — invertebrates are "The Little Things That Run the World." And indeed they do, in so many ways. In terms of numbers — while most invertebrates are pretty small, the sheer number of them is astounding. Together, they have more biomass than any other animal on earth.Learn more about the fascinating creatures that run the world, with Bug Bytes from the Missoula Butterfly House and Insectarium.
Location:
United States
Description:
As described by Edward O. Wilson — perhaps the best known American biologist, researcher, naturalist and author — invertebrates are "The Little Things That Run the World." And indeed they do, in so many ways. In terms of numbers — while most invertebrates are pretty small, the sheer number of them is astounding. Together, they have more biomass than any other animal on earth.Learn more about the fascinating creatures that run the world, with Bug Bytes from the Missoula Butterfly House and Insectarium.
Twitter:
@mtpublicradio
Language:
English
Contact:
4062434203
Email:
podcasts@mtpr.net
Episodes
Schmidt Pain Index
6/17/2023
Ouch, that really hurts! But in comparison to the sting of other insects, how much does it really hurt?
Duration:00:02:19
Termite Architects
6/10/2023
These six-legged architects regulate the mound’s internal temperature by opening and closing heating and cooling vents they constructed throughout their home, enabling them to adjust air currents to keep their insect skyscraper at the ideal temperature.
Duration:00:02:22
Invisible Moths
6/3/2023
Instead of slipping on a cloak, two species of moths rely on the unique shape of the scales that cover their wings to go undetected by bats.
Duration:00:02:14
Cicadas
5/27/2023
Male cicadas use their blaring sounds to communicate with other cicadas. Their songs are used as alarm calls, territorial calls, or ballads to woo the ladies.
Duration:00:02:14
Harvester Butterflies
5/21/2023
Introducing, the Harvester Butterfly …the only species of butterfly in North America where the caterpillars eat meat. More specifically, Woolly aphids are on their limited menu.
Duration:00:02:21
Bess Beetles
5/20/2023
While other beetles are known to make various squeaks and hisses, Bess Beetle adults and larvae can make 14 distinctly different sounds to convey danger to the rest of the family, attract a mate, and enable family communications.
Duration:00:02:13
Lemon Ants
5/19/2023
Lemon Ants prefer to build their homes in the stems of the tree species that survive in Devil’s Gardens. As it turns out, this is not a coincidence. In the eyes of a Lemon Ant, other trees not suitable for housing their kin just get in the way and take up valuable real estate. To make their surroundings more suitable for the continued existence and growth of their colony, it’s the Lemon Ants that rub out any rival vegetation.
Duration:00:02:20
Stalk-Eyed Fly
5/15/2023
When choosing a mate, the females within a rather unique family of flies make their decision depending on whether the eyes have it or not.
Duration:00:02:12
Orchard Mason Bees
5/14/2023
Here in Montana, we generally see our first Orchard Mason Bees of the season by mid-April. Resembling a large fly, the males of these bluish-green native bees emerge first, waiting patiently for the females to emerge in a week or so to mate.
Duration:00:02:11
Cooked Hornet
5/13/2023
If you haven’t heard of the Asian Giant Hornet before, you might be more familiar with their other, more sinister, name …the Murder Hornet. As the world’s largest species of hornet, Asian Giant Hornets are fierce predators with a preference for honeybees.
Duration:00:02:19
Common Green Darner
5/12/2023
With a body length of about 3 inches, these sizeable dragonflies can travel up to 900 miles. One migrating species that flies below most people’s radar is the Common Green Darner.
Duration:00:02:25
Bolas Spider
5/8/2023
While some silk slingers make large, elaborate webs, there’s one species that might at first appear a bit lazy in the web-building department. But what it seemingly lacks in motivation is more than made up for with style.
Duration:00:02:16
Bioscatter
5/7/2023
No, bioscatter is not a gathering of confused biologists. And no, it’s not what happens when you turn on the lights in a cockroach infested apartment. It’s a phenomenon that’s been documented for well over a century, but is becoming more important with our changing climate.
Duration:00:02:17
Aphid reproduction
5/6/2023
The aphids survive winter in the egg stage and emerge with the return of warmer weather. Surprisingly, all of the hatching eggs produce females. So, with no males in the population, the ladies employ a different reproductive strategy.
Duration:00:02:24
Spider balooning
5/5/2023
To an arachnophobe, nothing is more terrifying than the thought of a spider. Despite efforts to convince them how amazing spiders are, more than a few times our conversation ended with something like, “Well, thank goodness they can’t fly.” I’m sorry to say, that’s not exactly true.
Duration:00:02:18
Tree cricket megaphone
5/1/2023
Lacking the ability of their larger counterparts to loudly profess their desire to mate, small tree crickets were observed chewing holes in the center of a leaf and sticking their head and forelegs through the opening. With their noisemaking wings now positioned at the center of this do-it-yourself megaphone, the diminutive tree crickets were able to double or triple the volume of their calls.
Duration:00:02:21
Door Head Ants
4/30/2023
With the colony residing in tunnels, any openings are the primary line of defense against letting other invading ant species or potential parasites in. With their flat, saucer-shaped heads, Door Head Ant soldiers simply wedge their massive heads into the entrance of the colony, effectively plugging up the nest.
Duration:00:02:11
Net casting spider
4/29/2023
Unlike most spiders, their bodies are long and stick-like, helping them blend into their surroundings. In addition, two of their eight eyes are large and forward-facing, giving them surprisingly good eyesight at night – even better than that of an owl. But it’s not their physical appearance or amazing night vision that make these spiders so unique, it’s how they use their web.
Duration:00:02:11
Multi-headed caterpillar
4/28/2023
Most species of caterpillars will molt five times before entering the pupal stage – the last stage of development before transforming into an adult moth or butterfly. So what happens to all of those old exoskeletons?
Duration:00:02:27
Dracula Ants
4/24/2023
With a name like Dracula Ant, you might venture a guess as to why this species received its common name. But rather than the image of a rogue ant roaming the landscapes of Southeast Asia and Australia in search of random victims, in reality they engage in “nondestructive cannibalism”, drinking the blood of their developing young without killing them. Creepy, but not deadly.
Duration:00:02:30