And now you know the rest of the story

For those who saw the FOX interview with MSU entomologist Dr. Cognato (Добре, for those who didn’t, here it is), you will be interested to hear his side of the story.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7f52y4Nq4E&feature=player_embedded]

Take the time to register (вибачте, it’s annoying but I couldn’t find it anywhere else) and read a response to the interview by . . . → Детальніше: And now you know the rest of the story

Aquamoth part 2

I came across the full-text PDF of the amphibious moth article and extracted the tree showing the radiation of this species group and probable evolution of the amphibious traits. Interesting to note the case shape, and each moth is endemic to its own volcano in the Hawaiian archipelago.

This is a Bayesian analysis of . . . → Детальніше: Aquamoth part 2

Answer to last week’s Genius of the Press

For all those who abstained from voting (I want to assume some readers must have known the identity of our mystery caterpillar, but were too lazy to comment), here is the answer (after the break).

. . . → Детальніше: Answer to last week’s Genius of the Press

Aquamoth!

Another amazing animal from Hawaiia completely amphibious caterpillar (published in the March 22 PNAS). While there are a few aquatic Lepidoptera, all of them have gills that keep them restricted to the water (mind you, we are talking only about the larval stage). If their stream dries up, so does the caterpillar. . . . → Детальніше: Aquamoth!

California Spring

Spring has come to northern California and moths are on the wing. I took a quick trip up to the Sierra foothills over the weekend and hiked up the steep slopes above the American River. Above is pictured Xanthothrix ranunculi f. albipuncta (Совки: Stiriinae). It happens to be sitting on a beautiful california . . . → Детальніше: California Spring

Геній преси, v.III

Ще один внесок з моїх улюблених серій, Геній преси. Ця стаття виходить від новин ABC, хто може визначити цю гусеницю? Це явно НЕ непарний шовкопряд.

Співробітник ентомологія блогер Myrmecos був подібний розповідь минулого тижня.

Off with their heads!

(photo credit)

The monarchs have started their spring migration north and you might even see one soon (not exciting if you live in FL or HI where there are year-round residents, or in CA where there are separate overwintering spots). Reports from their winter locations in Mexico however are dismal; with possibly the lowest . . . → Детальніше: Off with their heads!

Genius of the press, part II

Published in the Santa Barbara News Press, Winter 2009. Who can tell me what’s wrong with these captions?

Page scan credit: Stuart Wilson.

Butterfly of the week

Not the typical butterflybut this is the protein folding structure from a South American hemorrhagic feverthe Machupo virus. The article was found on Science Daily. A striking resemblance to a butterfly, maybe even a Hesperiidae (photo from Butterflies of America).

. . . → Детальніше: Butterfly of the week

Вдячно, Я не жук

Because I would have been subjected to this. Розмова про жорстоке поводження з тваринами! Добре, я просто жартую, але ця історія трохи смішно. У статті говориться, що вчені використовували голос Лімбо, тому що це було “легко доступні”, не тому, що вони зненавиділи його. Ну, що, виявляється, не бути правдою, they chose Rush . . . → Детальніше: Вдячно, Я не жук