297 Items Tagged

Insects

An adult cicada from Brood X.

You've Heard of Cicadas, But Have You Heard of the Magicicada?

Cicada scientists share the secrets of this spring's rare double brood emergence. The last time it happened, Thomas Jefferson was president.

John Cooley and Chris Simon April 22, 2024

St. Augustine, Florida

Disease Vector Education Center

The United States' only educational center specializing in disease vectors and mosquitoes.

The pink fairy armadillo is so rarely spotted that scientists know very little about the Argentinian species.

A Year of Spectacular, Adorable, Sometimes a Little Scary Animals

From cute death omens to post-nuclear-disaster predators, these animals captivated us in 2023.

Danielle Hallock December 27, 2023

Pöschel (left) and Schmelzer, with the mite-cheese monument in Würchwitz.

The Biology Teacher Resurrecting Germany's 500-Year-Old Mite Cheese

At this charming farm, quirk meets quark to make a unique cheese.

Susannah Edelbaum November 13, 2023

The deathwatch beetle found in the United Kingdom, <em>Xestobium rufovillosum</em>, was once considered an omen of death.

The Truth Behind the Deathwatch Beetle's Creepy Tap-Tap-Tapping

In the United Kingdom, the insects were once considered omens of death—they're actually much more destructive.

Roxanne Hoorn October 11, 2023

Two-form Bumble Bee (Bombus bifarius) Male foraging in Goldenrod (Solidago) flowers, Mt. Hood, Oregon USA

To Save America's Native Bees, the Oregon Bee Project Is Mapping Every Single One

The project aims to make a complete 'bee atlas,' detailing every single local pollinator.

Kate Raphael September 22, 2023

These industrious beetles can live up to a few years without food, and rarely need water, making them unfortunately easy pets.

objects of intrigue

The Living, Breathing Brooches of the Yucatán

The live, jewel-encrusted beetles called maquechs are tied to an ancient legend, but some worry for their future.

Roxanne Hoorn September 7, 2023

Monteverde, Costa Rica

Reserva Curi Cancha

This wildlife refuge is home to more than 200 species of birds, as well as monkeys, lizards, and other wildlife.

Thousand-Armed Insect Goddess of Mercy

A bizarre statue of a Buddhist goddess made from 20,000 insects.

Spotted skunks perform impressive handstands to appear twice their size and ward off would-be predators.

10 Tales of the World’s Quirkiest Animals

A celebration of curious, overlooked, and misunderstood creatures.

April White August 25, 2023

<em>Orfelia fultoni</em> are the only bioluminescent fly species in North America, and the larvae produce the bluest light in the insect world.

Meet the Glowing 'Worms' of the American South

There is a lot to learn about Orfelia fultoni, the only bioluminescent fly in North America, but its larvae put on a show.

Maggie Gigandet August 18, 2023

Nevada State Route 375 was officially designated as the Extraterrestial Highway in a nod to rumors of otherworldly activity, but the desert road offers plenty of more grounded attractions.

Nevada's Extraterrestrial Highway Is Full of Earthly Wonders, Too

Explore a catastrophic space rock strike, unique flora and fauna, and millennia-old rock art on this famous stretch of desert road.

Matthew Malinowski August 8, 2023

Honeybee Drinking Fountain

Every summer, this shrine sets up a tiny drinking fountain reserved for thirsty apians.

Podcast: Amazon Night Hikes

Overcoming a fear of our multi-legged friends—at night, in the world's largest tropical rainforest.

The Podcast Team July 26, 2023

Fireflies glow along Japan's Hino River some 450 miles west of Tokyo.

How A ‘Firefly Course’ Is Saving Japan’s Favorite Glowing Insect

At the Moriyama City Firefly Forest Museum, nurturing Genji fireflies comes with homework.

Shoshi Parks July 25, 2023

The Aboriginal people of Western Australia have a long history with the vegetation gaps of the region's inland deserts.

In Australia, Aboriginal Knowledge and the Mystery of Fairy Circles

Building connections between tradition and science.

Line Sidonie Talla Mafotsing June 6, 2023

Helensburgh Glowworm Tunnel.

14 Places Brightened by Bioluminescence

Where nature puts on its very own light show.

Jonathan Carey June 5, 2023

Podcast: Tick Collection

What can we learn from these blood suckers?

The Podcast Team May 29, 2023