Freelance Writing Jobs | Today's Articles | Sign In

Articles
Writers
 
Browse Sections
Home Plants & Animals Insects/Spiders

Insects/Spiders

Insects/Spiders Feature Writer: Albert Burchsted

With between 4 and 6 million species, insects are the most common animals on Earth. They populate almost every habitat from Antarctica to deserts, rain forests, lakes, mountain tops, glacier snow, and deep underground. A few live in the ocean.

Where there are insects, spiders feed on them. Ranging in size from just a few hundredths of an inch to giants with leg spans near thirteen inches, spiders are the ultimate insect hunters: stalking or building webs to catch them.

Animals with jointed legs are arthropods. Of these, only the insects have wings to fly, but air travel is an important method of dispersal used by other arthropods.

Suite101 articles bring new information on insects, spiders, and other invertebrates. Please comment on the articles and share stories of invertebrates on my blogs.


Feature Writer Articles in Insects/Spiders

 		Bola Spiders Lure and Eat Moths
Bola spiders release sex pheromones of moths to lure males. When one arrives, the spider swings a silk strand with a sticky ball on the end to capture the moth.
Why Insects Migrate
Prior to the Pleistocene, animals had little need to migrate. Glaciation events and concurrent droughts forced insects (and others) to develop seasonal movements.
Web Manipulation Explains Spider Behavior
Hungry spiders build webs with sticky fibers while sated spiders remove these insect traps. An elegant experiment demonstrates the value of this manipulation.
One Spider's Method to Prevent Overeating
Some spider brains are hard wired to kill and eat prey when it is captured. Replacing sticky threads with non-sticky ones prevents overindulgence.
Matricide and Infanticide in a Spider
Some baby spiders eat their mothers and second mates kill eggs of former mates. These behaviors carry severe penalties for the female while the babies and males benefit.
All feature articles in Insects/Spiders Subscribe to feed

Contributing Articles in Insects/Spiders

 		Learn More about Lepidopteras
Butterfly pavilions are an excellent place to learn about butterflies and other insects when butterflies aren't in season.
How to Make a Bedbug Trap
In some bedbug infestations, the bugs are so rare that they are hard to detect. Anyone can make a bedbug trap to prove the bugs are there, and even remove some of them.
Bedbug Symptoms – Do Bedbugs Spread Disease?
Though many people don't react to bedbug bites, a rash may be the first obvious sign of a bedbug infestation. Fortunately, bedbugs don't spread diseases.
The Mystery of Bee Colony Collapse Disorder
Industrial agriculture, insecticides, mites or mobile phones; no one knows the true cause of bee colony collapse disorder. It would be a fruitless world without bees.
The Red Imported Fire Ant
Red Imported Fire Ants are an imported pest that have thrived in the US, causing agricultural damage and human health hazards.
Endosymbiosis in Aphids and Other Insects
Aphids are an annoyance to gardeners and cause damage to crops worldwide. Without symbiotic bacteria, their ability to grow and reproduce would be greatly impaired.
Gardening for Bees
Inviting bees to your garden will not only help ensure their survival but it will boost your flower, herb, and vegetable garden's performance.
Overwintering Honey Bees
Although honey bees remain in their hives through the winter they do anything but hibernate. Maintaining the hive is a constant job, in warm weather and cold.
Fun, Interesting Facts About Insects and Bugs
There are more insects on Earth than any other species of animal.
Bed Bug Resurgence
Bed bugs have recently made a resurgence in the United States. While the bites are a nuisance, the most difficult problem is getting rid of bed bugs.
The Differences Between Moths and Butterflies
There are a few simple ways to distinguish moths from butterflies by looking at their physical characteristics and behavior.
History of Beekeeping
Originating in Asia, honeybees were first brought to America by Virginia colonists in 1621.
Annual Monarch Butterfly Migration
Monarchs that live throughout most of the continental United States and in Southern Canada in the warmer months take a long journey south for the winter.
Native American Cold Weather Forcast
A popular American legend, inherited from Native Americans, is that the woolly bear caterpillar can predict the severity of the coming winter. Is it a myth or fact?
Painted Lady Butterfly
2009 has been a record breaking year for the Painted Lady Butterfly (Vanessa cardui). They arrived here in vast numbers after a 1000 mile migration from North Africa.
All contributing articles in Insects/Spiders Subscribe to feed