Bumblebees have tiny brains but extraordinarily sophisticated behavior. If you follow a bee as it forages for pollen and nectar, you’re likely to find that it specializes on only one type of flower. In this latest Nature Moments video, ecologist Patty Jones explains that bees’ choices are influenced by plant chemicals and the behavior of other bees.
Getting to Know Bug Spit
You never know what you’re going to find inside a gob of spit in a meadow. If you’re lucky, it might be a young spittlebug. The “spit,” which is left over from feeding on plant sap, protects these harmless insects from predators and parasitic wasps.
House Invaders
If you live in an old house, you probably are acquainted with these three home invaders: long-bodied cellar spiders, western conifer seed bugs, and multicolored Asian lady beetles. Although they’re not native to the northeast, they’re completely harmless and really quite companionable.
Life Under the Ice
Have you ever wondered what could be living underneath the ice of a frozen pond? With no light or air, and temperatures just above freezing, you’d think life would be impossible but….
Leaping Snow Fleas
What animal can jump 100 times the length of his body — without using any of his six legs? Take a walk in the snow on a sunny February day and look closely in your boot prints.