“Ants are so passe, You need a termite farm of your desk“
Photo by PPMA
Not sure how this will play out with customs but I think it would be cool to watch their activity. I will keep watch and keep you up-to-date on the progress.
At any time, it is estimated that there are some 10 quintillion (10,000,000,000,000,000,000) individual insects alive.
In the United States, the number of described species is approximately 91,000. The undescribed species of insects in the United States, however, is estimated at some 73,000.
According to Smithsonian Institutions
According to all the reports I have seen or heard it is impossible for insects to grow to extreme sizes due to the lack of oxygen within the environment. That would be my luck, to run into a spider that was over 4 foot. “Giant Megloptera found – Bigger bugs being identified” Make sure you watch both videos, it is wicked scary!
Photo by PPMA
“Fire ant venom as a Fungicide”
In their experiments, the researchers used sophisticated extraction techniques to obtain purified amounts of piperdeine and piperidine from the venom glands of both red and black imported fire ants.
In this case they are testing the venom, several ant species use different techniques to tend gardens of fungi so I wonder how this would work?
Photo provided by Univar PPS
Modified Mosquitoes – WOW science advances!
Florida asks FDA approval to eliminate Dengue Fever with genetically modified mosquitoes. I’m constantly amazed at the speed of technology and the advances made my humans in regards to our betterment as a species.
Mosquito’s have killed more humans than anything else and probably have killed more animals and pets as well. So I think it is extremely important to wage the battle against this little pest. “The trial planned by mosquito officials and the British company Oxitec would release non biting males that have been genetically modified to pass along a birth defect which will kill the offspring.”
Thanks to peabody.yale.edu for the use of their photo
Eyeless spider discovered in Laos
Honestly all I can say is better it’s in Laos than my back yard, Creepy Eyeless Spider Discovered in Cave. Spiders are just one of those bugs that most people either hate or dislike so I can understand all the phobia’s out there on this bug.
Scientists figure that there are still 5 million species still waiting to be discovered.Read this “Undiscovered Species – How many are left to find?” I think there is one out there that should have my name on it, what say you?
| Category | Species | Totals |
|---|---|---|
| Vertebrate Animals | ||
| Reptiles | 1,300 | |
| Amphibians | 8,500 | |
| Fishes | 8,000 | |
| Total Vertebrates | 17,800 | |
| Invertebrate Animals | ||
| Insects | 4,000,000 | |
| Arachnids | 500,000 | |
| Molluscs | 115,000 | |
| Crustaceans | 103,000 | |
| Echinoderms | 7,000 | |
| Others | 700,000 | |
| Total Invertebrates | 5,425,000 | |
| Plants | ||
| Flowering plants (angiosperms) | 71,000 | |
| Ferns and horsetails | 15,000 | |
| Mosses & Liverworts | 6,500 | |
| Total Plants | 80,500 | |
| TOTAL SPECIES | 5,523,300 |