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What Does Entomology Have in Common With Other Natural Sciences?
Entomology is the scientific study of insects, the world’s most abundant and diverse organisms. Although its focus on insects makes entomology unique among other natural sciences, such as ecology, biology and microbiology, its goal of gaining knowledge through observation and experimentation is shared amongst all sciences. Sciences like entomology build upon each other to overcome…
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Nematodes: The Unsung Heroes of Composting
Numerous factors are at play inside a compost pile, including aeration, moisture, temperature and time. It all comes together to transform grass clippings, fruit scraps and coffee grounds into inorganic nutrients and organic matter. Microorganisms and invertebrates are an essential part of this process, doing much of the heavy lifting in decomposition.
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What’s That Bug? Identifying Five of Nature’s Most Eye-Catching Insects
The University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) loves helping people identify insects and related arthropods.
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Integrated Pest Management: A Holistic Approach to Controlling Pests
By the year 2050, the world’s population will likely increase to nine billion people. Moreover, the spread of prosperity across the globe will increase demand for meat, eggs and dairy, which will only increase demand for crops to feed livestock. As reported by National Geographic, the world will need to double the number of crops…
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The Lovebug: Escaped Lab Experiment or Nature’s Harmless Decomposer?
The lovebug’s origin isn’t the only misconception about these tiny insects. For starters, lovebugs aren’t actually bugs: they’re flies, more closely related to mosquitoes and gnats. There are, in fact, so many misconceptions about lovebugs that we thought we’d dispel some of the more outlandish claims. If you love learning about fascinating and surprisingly controversial…
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The Return of the Living Cicadas: Brood 10 to Emerge After 17 Years
Seventeen is a big year. It’s a time of emergence after years of self-imposed isolation. No, we’re not talking about teenagers exiting the haze of adolescence. We’re referring to the cicada. Brood 10, a family of periodical cicadas, has been living underground for the last 17 years. With their lifecycle nearing its end, these insects…
