Bug Bytes

Bug Bytes

By Glenn MarangeloScienceNatural Sciences
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Bug Bytes episodes

  • Chocolate Midges
    Aside from being really small, the petals of cacao flowers curve into a tiny hood that cover’s the stamen (the male, pollen-making part of the flower). This configuration of the petals basically makes it impossible for something the size of a honey bee to get the job done.
    3 min
  • Bug Bytes: Leafcutter Bees
    Instead of collecting pollen in “baskets” located on their hind legs like honey bees and bumblebees, leafcutters are a unique family of bees that really dive into their work.
    3 min
  • Bug Bytes: Predaceous Diving Beetles
    As highly skilled predators, predaceous diving beetles can make easy meals of a wide variety of prey. But it’s their larvae that have the fierce reputation earning them the nickname “water tigers.”
    3 min
  • Bug Bytes: Honey Pot Ants
    Similar to other insects, like honey bees and some wasps, the ants store nectar during times of plenty. But instead of storing this excess food within the nest or in combs, honey pot ants employ a different strategy — overfeeding some of their nest-mates.
    3 min
  • Bug Bytes: Snow Fleas
    While out exploring during winter, you may come across an area of snow that appears to have been sprinkled with pepper. There are small black dots all over the place. If you take the time to look closely, you may notice that these dots are slowly moving — sometimes even jumping.
    3 min
  • Bug Bytes: Black Widows
    There are 3 species of black widows found throughout the United States — the southern, western, and northern black widows. Their appearance will vary depending on species, if it’s a male or female spider, and whether it’s an adult or juvenile.
    3 min
  • Bug Bytes: Goliath Birdeater Tarantula
    These massive spiders are from the upland rainforest regions of northern South America and have the largest body size and mass of any spider. But despite their intimidating size and enormous fangs, biting is their last resort.
    3 min

About Bug Bytes

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As described by Edward O. Wilson — perhaps the best known American biologist, researcher, naturalist and author — invertebrates are "The Little Things That Run the World." And indeed they do, in so…