Insectarium

Pssst: Ladybugs Have a Killer Secret

Ladybugs aren’t just cute nursery rhyme stars. Beneath the charming spots and vibrant colors lie killer instincts. They’re effective predators and sometime agricultural allies in their hunger for plant pests like aphids. Entomologist Sara Hermann, Ph.D. is investigating how ladybugs’ “perfume”—the chemical cocktail that makes up their odor—might even become a tool for sustainable agriculture.

Pssst: Ladybugs Have a Killer Secret

11m 10s

  • How Mantises Became Nature’s Strangest Assassins: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    How Mantises Became Nature’s Strangest Assassins

    S1 E8 - 10m 50s

    Mantises may look unearthly, but they’re uniquely adapted to life on this planet. These incredible hunters have repeatedly evolved into “ecomorphs”—groups that aren’t closely related, but share incredible adaptations to similar habitats. This happens so consistently in their history that it’s almost baffling. Do these dazzling displays of convergence have something to tell us about evolution?

  • How Ants Make Our Cities Healthier: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    How Ants Make Our Cities Healthier

    S1 E7 - 11m 4s

    There are incredible miniature civilizations booming within our concrete jungles: ants! We don’t often think of urban areas as having “ecologies” but Amy Savage, Ph.D. studies the amazing diversity of ants making it work and how their newfound love of our cast-off carbs is making our cities greener.

  • Why Bumble Bees Are the Fuzzy Heroes We Need: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Why Bumble Bees Are the Fuzzy Heroes We Need

    S1 E6 - 11m 4s

    If the insect world has a fuzzy, charismatic cutie, it’s surely the humble bumble bee. While insect populations are declining around the globe, bumble bees face unique threats that make them particularly vulnerable. Surveying projects across the U.S. are combining the forces of researchers and community scientists to help protect these critical native pollinators.

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