Science & Nature

Some trees such as the cherry, apple, peach and lilac put on a spectacular display of blossoms before the leaves on the tree are fully developed. This phenomenon is not only very beautiful; it...

Many different types of insect storage boxes exist, but few are easy to make at home. Some boxes are used only for storage and others are also used for display purposes. Insect storage boxes vary...

Every spring the bluebird arrives on the scene to thrill birdwatchers with its brilliant plumage and make gardeners happy with its voracious appetite for insects. The inspiration for the song...

Flowers depend on insects and other animals to help in the plant's reproductive efforts. By providing attractive scents and colorful leaflike appendages, the flower becomes more appealing and the...

Despite their stinging defenses, bees are a common food item among certain birds.

Hawks are carnivorous birds; they only eat other animals. In general, hawks will eat any live animal that they can catch and eat--they have a varied diet. They tend to adapt to eating what is in...

Praying mantises are a diverse group of insects that make excellent, low-maintenance pets. Many people do not consider insects when choosing pets, but mantises can be fascinating additions to any...

Flowers need pollinators to survive, and at the same time pollinators also need flowers. One gains reproduction and the other a food source.

Approximately 80 percent of all animal species are insects, according to Clemson University. Entomology is the scientific field of study devoted to species of insects.

Although now grown in greenhouses all over the world, the Venus flytrap is a carnivorous plant that was originally only found in boggy areas of coastal North and South Carolina, near the state...

Identify which types of pesky household insects are invading your home prior to contacting the exterminator. Most home-invasive insects are easily distinguished from each other. If not,...

A mixture of sugar water and detergent is commonly used to trap insects. The sugar attracts the bugs, and the detergent creates a sinking water trap for the insects.

Spiders are eight-legged carnivorous arachnids. They are found over most of the world in a wide range of habitats from jungle to desert. Most spiders spin sticky webs in which to trap their prey.

"Stink bug" is the name given to insects of the Pentatomidae family, one of the families falling under the suborder of Heteroptera, or "true bugs." Stink bugs derive their less than flattering...

Forensic entomology is the study of insects in legal cases. Usually forensic entomology is associated with how insects feed on dead bodies, but the science may also be used in civil cases, such as...

Fleas and ticks are a menace to nearly everyone who has pets that go outside. Ticks can latch onto your animal from the grass, and fleas can come from long distances. They are able to jump...

Spiders and insects are resourceful creatures that will look for any way into your home. Insects come inside to seek shelter and food. This is a bigger problem in the summer since many insects...

Desired for their bright and incredibly diverse coloration and bold patterning, leopard geckos are commonly sold throughout the world and are the first reptile pets for many. Though leopard geckos...

Scientists have identified more than one million insects in the world, but this number could barely scratch the surface of how many insect species actually exist. Because there are so many...

Castoff skins or moultings of termites would not be a common sight even in an infested building. Termites undergo complex changes during the moult and spend this period underground while bodies...

Eye types range from simple to the complex and the compound. Eyes are organs that detect light. Simple eyes detect whether it is light or dark; while complex eyes can detect color, motion, depth,...

Stink bugs are insects of the order Hemiptera, or true bugs. Stink bugs belong to the Pentatomidae family. Although they vaguely resemble beetles, these insects can be distinguished from other...

Pollen is a plant's male DNA that is transported to the female part of the flower to enable the plant to reproduce. Because pollen contains DNA, it can be used to change a plant's traits. Such...

Insects are crawling all over the world in thousands of different forms and it's the job of an entomologist to study them. Entomology is the science that deals with these creatures and is a...

Pheromones are chemicals released from the bodies of insects and other species for communication purposes. These potent chemical messengers are carried by wind over great distances. During the...

Black ants can be found all over the world living indoors and outdoors and surviving on many different diets. Each type of black ant is just a little bit different, with some being easier to get...

Science is humanity's quest to understand the universe in which we live. Science is constantly evolving. The Earth, after all, was once thought to be flat. It is highly unlikely, though, that...

Plants sometimes trap water coincidentally because of their leaf structure or in hollows that form due to rot. Some plants form reservoirs as a way of catching and digesting food. Other plants...

Scale insects belong to the order Hemiptera, which includes aphids, whiteflies and cicadas. Their name is due to the fact that they secrete a protective wax covering that resembles the scales of...

Diatomaceous earth is the shells of diatoms, from thousands of years ago. They are the microscopic remains of these one-celled plants, and they are mined from deposits in underwater beds or from...

The process of biogenesis is best described as life begets life. Chickens lay eggs, which hatch into chicks. Cows give birth to calves. A basic tenet of biogenesis is that a non-living organism...

Bats are fascinating animals that seem to invoke both fear and wonder alike. They have the distinction of being the only mammal that can fly, though they are not birds and don't have feathers....

What wild birds eat depends on the type. There is tremendous variety between the different families of birds. Some birds eat only insects or seeds. Others are true omnivores that devour nearly...

The pitcher plant is a type of plant that eats insects, also called a carnivorous plant. They are rare, unique and quite interesting. "Regular" plants consume nutrients from the soil, but...

The Arabian Desert occupies most of Saudi Arabia, northern Yemen, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Baharain, Kuwait, southern Iraq and southwestern Jordan. It is the home of a multitude of...

Millions of insects inhabit the earth. By observing insects, it is possible to learn which are harmful and which are hurtful. Insects have three body parts: head, thorax and abdomen. Insects also...

Silverfish are a common insect pest that is capable of causing damage in a home. People usually only see a silverfish after it traps itself in a sink or bathtub and cannot climb back up the...

Hemiptera is an order of insects that is well known for having a sucking mouth. They are found all around the world and in many varieties. Aphids are hemiptera. Cicadas are hemiptera, as are...

What birds eat varies with the species of birds and where they live. There are approximately 10,000 different species of birds with habitats all over the globe.

Once you have your insects cleaned up, pinned and displayed make sure they are labeled. Insect labels tell other collectors where the insect was found and what type of bug it is. They also give...

This article explains how to point mount insects that are too difficult to pin.

This article will describe proper pinning instructions for a range of insects.

Flies are not the only insects found on car windshields. Mayflies, deer flies, mosquitoes, lightning bugs---millions of creatures have died instantly and spectacularly on the front windows of...

There are some bugs that can actually help us predict the weather without having to listen to a weatherman. Obviously this won’t give you’re the 5 day forecast, but it is quite interesting and...

If you are a bird watcher, or a collector of flowers, insects or any other hobby, you will be able to make and use this handy pocket guide. I study local insects and therefore I will be making a...

Silverfish are irritating pests that are present in many homes. Unfortunately, they breed rapidly and live a long time.

It is a common sight to witness flies, moths and flying insects gyrating around porch and street lamps at night. It appears to be some sort of customary ritual without any rhyme or reason to their...

Insects develop from birth to maturity in stages called life cycles. Unlike humans, insects have a hard outer shell called an exoskeleton. As they grow, they have to shed the tough outer skin....

Raid employs many active ingredients, including tetramethrin. Tetramethrin is a synthetic insecticide that works by attacking the nervous system of most insects. Once the insect comes into contact...

Bug collecting, summer timed and children go hand in hand. Beginning bug collecting is fun, virtually free, educational and can grow into a lifetime hobby or a career as an entomologist (bug...