Insect

The monarch butterfly’s wings at first appear small, shriveled, and insufficient. For the next hour the vulnerable butterfly clings to it’s empty chrysalis, unable to fly. Hemolymph, the blood-like substance of insects, is pumped through the butterfly's body as it adapts to it’s surroundings. The same substance called hemolymph rushes to the insect's wings, enlarging them and making them strong. It only takes a short hour for the monarch butterfly’s wings to strength…

Monarch Butterflies and Public Awareness More than beautiful butterflies, monarch butterflies contribute to the health of our planet. While feeding on nectar, they pollinate many types of wildflowers and make our fruits. The monarch butterfly is known by scientists as Danaus plexippus, which in Greek literally means "sleepy transformation." The name evokes the species' ability to hibernate and metamorphize. There are four stages in the life cycle of a butterfly. A monarch begins life as a…

the Nepenthes ventricosa affected the plant’s ability to capture prey. The results of the study displayed that the red coloration in some carnivorous plants may be an adaptive trait, as Nepenthes ventricosa with bright red coloration captured more insects than plants that were green. To counteract this, a study was done in 2014 on another carnivorous plant, Drosera rotundifolia, by G. Foot, S. P. Rice, and J. Millett. It indicated that the Drosera rotundifo[lia’s red trap color did not serve…

Most ant species are social insects, living in large cooperative groups called colonies. Two or more generations may overlap in a colony. These ant colonies are divided into three castes — males, workers and queens — and each caste perform certain tasks. Queen ants and males are part of the reproductive castes. They are the most important members of a colony because they ensure the survival of their species. Queen ants, regardless of species, often are larger than other members of their…

Albert Einstein once wrote that “if the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would have only four years of life left. No more bees, no more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more man.” (Goodreads). Insect pollinators are responsible for approximately one third of food crops (Greenpeace, 3) Most wild plants rely on indirect or direct pollination in order to reproduce and thus the environment and economy govern on successful pollination (Green Peace, 3).…

antitermitic activity without contributing to environmental pollution, creating insect resistance, or exterminating this species. Since many of these chemical methods have proven to be harmful, research has thus shifted to a more biological approach to antitermitic activities. Gupta, Sharma, and Naik (2011) discuss how essential oils have evoked interest as a natural product that holds promise for their potential insect management. In particular, they note that essential oils have been shown to…

Almost everywhere you look, you’ll find one or dozen of insects, they have fascinating lives and behaviors that we can learn from. They can adapt any situation they face. For example, bees and butterflies known for their strength and wisdom in their functionality. Although they are both holometablous, they are very different in their characteristics, such as wings, feeding, and harmness. Wings are important feature in insects, specially for bees and butterflies, it helps them with the…

is a species of small insect native to Japan that infests eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) and Carolina hemlock (Tsuga caroliniana) trees in the Eastern United States. The insect was first discovered in the United States in Richmond, Virginia around 1954. The infected trees were part of a park located on the estate of an avid plant collector; it is speculated the insects were part of an infected shipment of ornamental plants from southern Japan (Souto, 1995). The insect spreads when their…

fertile soil. Venus is a plant, but it is also a carnivore, too, because it consumes insects to survive. As Venus Flytraps consumes insects, they dissolves in the catcher leaves, leaving the corpse behind and absorbs the liquid. The liquid provides lots and lots nutrition for the plant to live, so poor soil is needed. Rich soil may be rare, but dry soil is common, though. Secondly, the way Venus Flytrap captures insects is very interesting. Many people commonly think that a Venus Flytrap…

problems with dealing with pests. Unfortunately, people have unintentionally helped these pests evolve by applying artificial selection in the form of pesticides. The widespread use of pesticides has led to the evolution of pesticide resistance in insects(book). Through natural selection, they have inherited traits that make them more likely to survive and reproduce than those that do not have those traits. For example, each time chemicals are sprayed on a lawn to get rid of weeds and or…