occurred in the last one hundred years. Most of them have to do with our crisis with the problem of global warming. Unlike most problems, some of the issues like why bees are vanishing can cause a great disruption in our economy and way of life. The bee population in the United States and in Europe have decreased majorly, leading bees to soon become endangered. In the United States alone, up to one-third of commercial honeybee colonies vanish mysteriously each year. Pesticides, pollution,…
Aethina Tumida, Small Hive Beetles (SHB), is native to sub-Saharan Africa, and it is a regular pest to the African subspecies of the western honey bee, Apis mellifera Linnaeus. Be that as it may, the beetle has been located outside of its natural habitat, where it is known to cause extensive damage to the plethora of colonies of the European subspecies of honey bees. In 1996, the small hive beetle was first sighted in the United States across a variety of states. There is no clear answer to how…
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…
The texts “Eat Your Bugs” by Miguel Vilar and Laura Allen and “Insect Farmers...” by The Washington Post have both Persuade and say that bugs are healthy. irst, both of the articles persuade. For example, on page 21 of “Eat Your Bugs” the text states that you should try eating bugs. Similarly, on page 1of “Insect Farmers” it says that Americans should start eating bugs. And on page 1 of Insect farmers it says that many people don’t care if there is bugs in their salad. This is similar because on…
The yellow-shouldered blackbird (Agelaius xanthomus) is indigenous to the island of Puerto Rico. It is speculated that this species is derived from the red-winged blackbird which is native to the Haitian Island. Physically the yellow-shouldered blackbird looks just like it sounds, black with brachial yellow patches around the shoulders of the bird. The males are usually larger,heavier and have larger wings than the females of the species. On average the adult birds measure between twenty to…
From larva to a majestic winged monarch butterfly, the transformation a caterpillar undergoes in its quest to become a butterfly is truly unique. In such process a sixteen legged pest morphs into a beautiful butterfly. Though a beautiful sight, what a caterpillar actually goes through on this journey is quite gruesome. Many wonder how this 180 degree transformation is possible, but broken down it is much simpler to comprehend. Monarch butterflies lay their milky white eggs on milkweed, insuring…
A foreign ant species has found its way in the US, particularly in the state of Florida. The said ant is native to Madagascar but has made its way to Caribbean countries decades ago. Now, it is set to invade the US state. In Florida, there are currently 19 invasive ant species, which often thrive in warm weather and human activity such as the said state. The little yellow ant (Plagiolepis alluaudi) is an invasive, highly-reproductive, and foraging experts. At less than 2 millimeters, these…
Albert Einstein once stated, “if the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe then man would only have four years of life left. No more bees, no more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more man.” It is vital that everyone be informed about the problem with the bee population and the need to take action to save the bees. SOS-Bees is a denomination of Greenpeace which, according to their mission statement, is the “leading independent campaigning organization that uses peaceful…
(875 words) Woolly Days ahead for the Hemlock Tree -Angela Cannon-Crothers I like bugs, ask anyone. I am awed by the mechanics of their life cycles, the biodiversity of the entire Order of Insecta, the magical beauty of so many of their kind. But there are a few that strike more than a few heebe-geebes -- some are downright frightening. Take the tiny hemlock wooly adelgid (ah-del-jid) for instance: a needle sucking scale insect of miniscule proportions that reproduces asexually (no male…
Squirrels, likewise to humans and non-human animals, adjust their behaviors in accordance to seasonal changes. One key behavior that has been shown to vary by season is squirrel foraging behavior. It is important to understand this relationship in order to promote the well-being of squirrels by ensuring their ability to acquire energy-rich food year round. In a study conducted by researchers Everts, Strijkstra, Hut, Hoffmann, and Millesi (2004), it was shown that aboveground activity level…