Articles Index

How Dragonflies Mate

Dragonfly sex is quite a spectacle to observe. Have you ever seen two dragonflies entangled together, each one seeming to grab the other's tail? Find out exactly what was going on between those dragonflies.

Angel Insects, Order Zoraptera

Angel insects were first thought to be wingless, but we now know that some members of the Order Zoraptera do have wings. Learn the habits and traits of this group.

Webspinners, Order Embiidina

This group of insects are the only ones known to produce silk with glands on their feet. Learn the habits and traits of webspiiners, Order Embiidina.

Gladiators, Order Mantophasmatodea

The odd-looking gladiators were first named to their own order, Mantophasmatodea, in 2002.

Rock Crawlers, Order Grylloblattodea

We rarely encounter members of the order Grylloblattodea, simply because they live in places where humans don't. Learn the habits and traits of rock crawlers, also known as ice bugs.

Prepare for a Visit to a Butterfly House

Thinking of visiting a butterfly house? This article will help you understand the butterfly behaviors you observe. Also, I'll give you tips for getting a butterfly to land on you, and for how to take better photographs at the butterfly exhibit.

Carrion Beetles, Family Silphidae

Carrion beetles may seem gross, but trust me, we all owe a debt of gratitude to these industrious beetles for getting rid of all the dead stuff around us. Carrion beetles feed on, and sometimes bury, decomposing bodies.

Rove Beetles, Family Staphylinidae

People often mistake rove beetles for earwigs. These tiny beetles make up the family Staphylinidae, which may be the largest of all beetle families. Learn the habits and traits of rove beetles.

Dermestid Beetles, Family Dermestidae

Dermestid beetles have a nasty habit of eating museum specimens and preserved insect collections. But their ability to digest keratin also makes them valuable for cleaning bones and skulls for diplay. Learn the habits and traits of dermestid beetles.

Cockroaches, Order Blattodea

Learn the habits and traits of cockroaches, and what characteristics place an insect in the order Blattodea.

Termites, Order Isoptera

Learn the habits and traits of termites. Termites belong to the order Isoptera.

Bumblebees - the Genus Bombus

Bumblebees are certainly familiar insects, but there's probably a lot you don't know about these busy bees. Like honey bees, bumblebees of the genus Bombus live socially, with a queen and workers.

Where Do Insects Go in Winter?

How do insects survive the cold winter months? Some migrate, some hibernate, and some insects make their own antifreeze to make it through cold weather.

How Insects Grow – The Molting Process

Insects grow in increments; in fact, all arthropods do. Each stage of growth ends with molting, the process of shedding and replacing the rigid exoskeleton. People often think molting is the simple act of an insect breaking out of its skin and leaving it behind. In truth, the molting process is a complex one involving hormones, proteins, and enzymes.

Swallowtails and Parnassians, Family Papilionidae

The butterfly family Papilionidae consists of the familiar swallowtails and the uncommon parnassians. Learn which key traits they share as members of this group.

Characteristics of Butterflies and Moths, Order Lepidoptera

This article describes the characteristics of the order Lepidoptera, the butterflies and moths.

Brush-Footed Butterflies, Family Nymphalidae

Brush-footed butterflies include a variety of common butterflies, including monarchs, admirals, anglewings, and fritillaries. Learn the identifying features of butterflies in the family Nymphalidae.

Mayflies, Order Ephemeroptera

Mayflies live briefly as adults, sometimes only hours. In their immature, aquatic stage, they serve as important bioindicators of good water quality. Learn the habits and traits of mayflies, order Ephemeroptera.

Ground Beetles, Family Carabidae

Ground beetles hide under rocks and boards by day, and hunt insects and other invertebrates by night. Most are predatory in both the larval and adult stages, making ground beetles true powerhouses among the beneficial insects of the garden.

Stag Beetles, Family Lucanidae

Learn about some of the world's largest insects, the stag beetles.

Ground Bees

Ground bees may be a nuisance in the lawn or garden, but they're also an important beneficial insect. Learn to identify ground bees, and how to control ground bee nests.

The Life Cycle of Ladybugs

Learn about the life cycle of ladybugs, and what happens in each stage of life - egg, larva, pupa, and adult.

Gypsy Moth (Lymantria dispar)

The World Conservation Union ranks the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar, on its list of "100 of the World's Most Invasive Alien Species." Accidentally introduced to the U.S. in the late 1860's, the gypsy moth now consumes a million acres of forest each year, on average.

Widow Spiders - the Genus Latrodectus

The famous black widow is just one of the venomous widow spiders living throughout the world. Bites from female widow spiders are medically significant, and may require treatment with an antivenin.

Brown Recluse Spiders

The brown recluse spider, Loxosceles reclusa, has a bad and largely undeserved reputation. Across the U.S., people fear the bite of this spider. In truth, the brown recluse is just that - a recluse. It's range is limited to one section of the country, and its bite is rarely life threatening.