March 2010 - Page 3 of 3 - Bugs In The News

Puss Caterpillar or Asp — General Information

Mar

7

2010

— This article by Jerry Cates, first published on 7 March 2010, was last revised on 22 January 2014. © Bugsinthenews Vol. 11:03(09). —————————————– Introduction: The puss caterpillar is the larva of an insect in the order Lepidoptera. More specifically, it is a flannel moth (so-called because the adult moth is clothed in short fine hairs ...

A Skimmer Dragonfly or Meadowhawk in Austin, Texas

Mar

3

2010

— This article by Jerry Cates and Linda C., first published on 3 March 2010, was last revised on 6 July 2012. © Bugsinthenews Vol. 11:03(08). —————————————– This photo was sent in by Linda C., of southwest Austin, on 2 March 2010 (Texas Independence Day, for those who may not be aware). According to the ...

Exterminating Puss Caterpillars

Mar

2

2010

— This article by Jerry Cates, first published on 2 March 2010, was last revised on 22 January 2014. © Bugsinthenews Vol. 11:03(07). —————————————– The following is a step-by-step approach that the author has used and supervised. It should be followed in the sequence prescribed. 1. First, protect yourself and others. On discovering a puss caterpillar infestation, insure that ...

Natural Predators of the Puss Caterpillar

Mar

2

2010

— This article by Jerry Cates, first published on 2 March 2010, was last revised on 22 January 2014. © Bugsinthenews Vol. 11:03(06). —————————————– Unraveling the Mystery Mother Nature’s Perfect Pesticide: As you probably know, puss caterpillars, larvae of the flannel moth (Megalopyge opercularis), are legendary for their potent stings. In fact, they are believed to ...

Snake Anatomy & Physiology

Mar

2

2010

This article by Jerry Cates, first published in January 1999, was last revised on 23 April 2016. © Bugsinthenews Vol. 01:01(02). —————————————– Details of General Anatomical Features (click on the diagram at left for an enlarged version): Snakes have no moveable eyelids, limbs, ear openings, sternums, or urinary bladders. Most species have only one functioning lung, ...

A Diamond-backed Water Snake in Bullard, Texas

Mar

2

2010

— This article by Jerry Cates and John Wise, first published on 1 March 2010, was last revised jon 23 April 2016. © Bugsinthenews Vol. 11:03(05). —————————————– John wrote on 14 April 2012: “Hello sir, my neighbor killed this snake in backyard in Bullard, Texas, some twelve miles south of Tyler. Could you tell me what ...

Definition: Occam’s Razor

Mar

1

2010

—This article by Jerry Cates, first published on 1 March 2010, was last revised on 23 April 2016. © Bugsinthenews Vol. 11:03(04). —————————————– The name is a reference to William of Ockham, a 14th-century logician who asserted that, when explaining a phenomenon, one should use the fewest assumptions necessary. Thus Occam’s razor argues for minimalism and ...

The Red Queen Passage of Lewis Caroll’s “Through the Looking-Glass”

Mar

1

2010

— This article by Jerry Cates, first published on 1 March 2010, was last revised on 2 June 2024. © Bugsinthenews Vol. 11:03(03). —————————————– In Lewis Carroll’s 1871 book “Through the Looking-Glass,” Alice imagines passing through a looking glass -– that is, what today we call a mirror -– into the mystery world on the ...

The Red Queen Hypothesis of Selective Adaptation

Mar

1

2010

— This article by Jerry Cates, first published on 1 March 2010, was last revised on 2 June 2024. © Bugsinthenews Vol. 11:03(02). —————————————– The Red Queen Hypothesis is based on a passage from Chapter II of Charles Dodgen’s (under the pen name of Lewis Carroll) 1871 book “Through the Looking-Glass.” The principle set forth by ...

The Stinging Apparatus of the Puss Caterpillar

Mar

1

2010

— This article by Jerry Cates, first published on 1 March 2010, was last revised on 23 April 2016. © Bugsinthenews Vol. 11:03(01). —————————————– The puss caterpillar’s verrucae The primary stinging apparatus of the puss caterpillar is vested in verrucae (warty projections adorned with sharp spines under a coat of ornamental hairs) that cover the entire ...