Bug Bytes

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As described by Edward O. Wilson — perhaps the best known American biologist, researcher, naturalist and author — invertebrates are "The Little Things That Run the World." And indeed they do, in so many ways. In terms of numbers — while most invertebrates are pretty small, the sheer number of them i…

Montana Public Radio


    • Nov 9, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 2m AVG DURATION
    • 77 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Bug Bytes

    Acorn Weevil

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 9, 2024 2:14


    Fuzzy, light brown in color, and with a snout looking like Pinocchio went on a fibbing spree, the Acorn Weevil has a comical appearance.

    Bumblebees

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 2, 2024 2:10


    For most insects, getting a meal relies on their foraging or hunting abilities. Bumblebees certainly fall into that category. However, while they might not be able to grow their own food, they've found a way to force their food to grow.

    Confusing Petrophila Moth

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 26, 2024 2:14


    The Confusing Petrophila is a moth that instead of laying its eggs on a terrestrial plant, dives into fast moving water (as deep as 15 feet) to lay eggs on algae and aquatic plants for its emerging caterpillars to eat.

    Giant Velvet Mite

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2024 2:17


    Giant Velvet Mites are arachnids and spend most of their lives underground in the soil or sand, becoming active on the surface after heavy rain …the reason that the monsoon season is a great time of year to find them.

    Golden Wheel Spiders

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 12, 2024 2:08


    Instead of running away, the golden wheel spider has come up with an alternative (and more effective) method to escape the threat of a parasitic wasp that shares its sand dune habitat. It essentially turns itself into a wheel.

    Olive-Shaded Bird-Dropping Moths

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 5, 2024 2:20


    Found all across the United States, the species Ponometia candefacta has evolved to have an unappealing appearance. If you came across it perched on a leaf, you might quickly turn your gaze to something else too.

    Velvet Ants

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 28, 2024 2:10


    While some species are white, creamy, or black in color, most velvet ants are red or orange …a coloration that's a warning.

    Blue Morpho Butterflies

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2024 2:14


    Found in tropical rainforests from Mexico to South America, Blue Morpho Butterflies have a wingspan of 5 to 8 inches. In regard to their appearance, they seem to have a split personality.

    Bug Bytes: Woodlice

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2024 2:14


    Pill bugs. Sow bugs. Doodle bugs. Roly-polies. From around the world, there are at least another dozen nicknames for these small animals that are more scientifically referred to as terrestrial isopods, or woodlice.

    Pack Hunting Spiders

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 8, 2023 2:17


    If you suffer from arachnophobia (the fear of spiders), then hold onto your seat. While the thought of one spider might be terrifying, what about spiders that hunt in packs of hundreds?

    Hissing Cockroach Hitchhikers

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2023 2:11


    The roaches are messy eaters, leaving bits of foo on their heads. The mites are like a tiny cleaning crew that eats any scraps of food left on the roach's face.

    Hairstreak Butterflies

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2023 2:07


    Most Hairstreak Butterflies have hair-like tails looking like a pair of antennae and the colored marks looking like eyes. It appears that the butterfly has two heads!

    Schmidt Pain Index

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2023 2:19


    Ouch, that really hurts! But in comparison to the sting of other insects, how much does it really hurt?

    Termite Architects

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2023 2:22


    These six-legged architects regulate the mound's internal temperature by opening and closing heating and cooling vents they constructed throughout their home, enabling them to adjust air currents to keep their insect skyscraper at the ideal temperature.

    Invisible Moths

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 3, 2023 2:14


    Instead of slipping on a cloak, two species of moths rely on the unique shape of the scales that cover their wings to go undetected by bats.

    Cicadas

    Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2023 2:14


    Male cicadas use their blaring sounds to communicate with other cicadas. Their songs are used as alarm calls, territorial calls, or ballads to woo the ladies.

    Harvester Butterflies

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2023 2:21


    Introducing, the Harvester Butterfly …the only species of butterfly in North America where the caterpillars eat meat. More specifically, Woolly aphids are on their limited menu.

    Bess Beetles

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2023 2:13


    While other beetles are known to make various squeaks and hisses, Bess Beetle adults and larvae can make 14 distinctly different sounds to convey danger to the rest of the family, attract a mate, and enable family communications.

    Lemon Ants

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2023 2:20


    Lemon Ants prefer to build their homes in the stems of the tree species that survive in Devil's Gardens. As it turns out, this is not a coincidence. In the eyes of a Lemon Ant, other trees not suitable for housing their kin just get in the way and take up valuable real estate. To make their surroundings more suitable for the continued existence and growth of their colony, it's the Lemon Ants that rub out any rival vegetation.

    Stalk-Eyed Fly

    Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2023 2:12


    When choosing a mate, the females within a rather unique family of flies make their decision depending on whether the eyes have it or not.

    Orchard Mason Bees

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2023 2:11


    Here in Montana, we generally see our first Orchard Mason Bees of the season by mid-April. Resembling a large fly, the males of these bluish-green native bees emerge first, waiting patiently for the females to emerge in a week or so to mate.

    Cooked Hornet

    Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2023 2:19


    If you haven't heard of the Asian Giant Hornet before, you might be more familiar with their other, more sinister, name …the Murder Hornet. As the world's largest species of hornet, Asian Giant Hornets are fierce predators with a preference for honeybees.

    cooked hornet murder hornet asian giant hornet asian giant hornets
    Common Green Darner

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2023 2:25


    With a body length of about 3 inches, these sizeable dragonflies can travel up to 900 miles. One migrating species that flies below most people's radar is the Common Green Darner.

    Bolas Spider

    Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2023 2:16


    While some silk slingers make large, elaborate webs, there's one species that might at first appear a bit lazy in the web-building department. But what it seemingly lacks in motivation is more than made up for with style.

    Bioscatter

    Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2023 2:17


    No, bioscatter is not a gathering of confused biologists. And no, it's not what happens when you turn on the lights in a cockroach infested apartment. It's a phenomenon that's been documented for well over a century, but is becoming more important with our changing climate.

    Aphid reproduction

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2023 2:24


    The aphids survive winter in the egg stage and emerge with the return of warmer weather. Surprisingly, all of the hatching eggs produce females. So, with no males in the population, the ladies employ a different reproductive strategy.

    Spider balooning

    Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2023 2:18


    To an arachnophobe, nothing is more terrifying than the thought of a spider. Despite efforts to convince them how amazing spiders are, more than a few times our conversation ended with something like, “Well, thank goodness they can't fly.” I'm sorry to say, that's not exactly true.

    spider balooning
    Tree cricket megaphone

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2023 2:21


    Lacking the ability of their larger counterparts to loudly profess their desire to mate, small tree crickets were observed chewing holes in the center of a leaf and sticking their head and forelegs through the opening. With their noisemaking wings now positioned at the center of this do-it-yourself megaphone, the diminutive tree crickets were able to double or triple the volume of their calls.

    Door Head Ants

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2023 2:11


    With the colony residing in tunnels, any openings are the primary line of defense against letting other invading ant species or potential parasites in. With their flat, saucer-shaped heads, Door Head Ant soldiers simply wedge their massive heads into the entrance of the colony, effectively plugging up the nest.

    Bug Bytes: Leafcutter Bees

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2022 2:21


    Instead of collecting pollen in “baskets” located on their hind legs like honey bees and bumblebees, leafcutters are a unique family of bees that really dive into their work.

    bees bytes leafcutter
    Bug Bytes: Predaceous Diving Beetles

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 8, 2021 2:20


    As highly skilled predators, predaceous diving beetles can make easy meals of a wide variety of prey. But it's their larvae that have the fierce reputation earning them the nickname “water tigers.”

    Bug Bytes: Honey Pot Ants

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2021 2:30


    Similar to other insects, like honey bees and some wasps, the ants store nectar during times of plenty. But instead of storing this excess food within the nest or in combs, honey pot ants employ a different strategy — overfeeding some of their nest-mates.

    Bug Bytes: Smelly feet and buzz pollination

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2021 2:29


    Sometimes feet just stink. But if you're a bumblebee, that's actually a good thing.

    Bug Bytes: Snow Fleas

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2021 2:21


    While out exploring during winter, you may come across an area of snow that appears to have been sprinkled with pepper. There are small black dots all over the place. If you take the time to look closely, you may notice that these dots are slowly moving — sometimes even jumping.

    Bug Bytes: Black Widows

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2021 2:27


    There are 3 species of black widows found throughout the United States — the southern, western, and northern black widows. Their appearance will vary depending on species, if it's a male or female spider, and whether it's an adult or juvenile.

    Bug Bytes: Goliath Birdeater Tarantula

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2021 2:25


    These massive spiders are from the upland rainforest regions of northern South America and have the largest body size and mass of any spider. But despite their intimidating size and enormous fangs, biting is their last resort.

    Bug Bytes: Wasp Mantisfly

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2021 2:22


    As the name suggests, Wasp Mantisflies look a lot like a wasp, but they have the head and front legs of a mantis.

    Bug Bytes: Goldenrod Crab Spider

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2021 2:21


    Rather than actively hunting or catching their prey in a web like some spiders, Goldenrod Crab Spiders are sit and wait predators, waiting for their next meal to come to them.

    Bug Bytes: Honeybees need sleep too

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2021 2:19


    Surprisingly, humans and honey bees are much the same when it comes to sleep. Whether it's a bee after a full day busily attending to colonial duties or a human after a long day at the office, we both need sleep to continue to function at our best.

    Bug Bytes: Burying Beetles And Mites

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 16, 2020 2:23


    Burying beetles are often called sexton beetles since they perform duties similar to a sexton or gravedigger. These beetles have an amazing ability to locate fresh carrion from long distances, allowing them to find this valuable food source before competing scavengers do. But rather than consume the departed mouse, vole, shrew or other small vertebrate for themselves, they have other plans.

    Bug Bytes: Giant Ichneumon Wasps

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 16, 2020 2:30


    Learning to identify different wasp species can be challenging, but it’s not brain surgery. Well…actually, in this case it just might be. We’re talking about giant ichneumon wasps – a genus of only four species in North America. Females range from 3-4 inches in length, including what appears to be a long, massive stinger. While intimidating looking, they’re harmless. This stinger is actually an ovipositor, used for laying eggs.

    Bug Bytes: How Fireflies Glow

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 16, 2020 2:28


    If you’re lucky, it might be an annual occurrence in your backyard. For others, it may be a memory from a summer vacation. And for all the romantics out there, it’s the icing on the cake to a picture-perfect summer evening. We’re talking about fireflies. Fireflies, or lightning bugs, are famous for their glowing, flashing rear ends. But the questions are how and why do they have a glimmering derriere?

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