Catch a Glimpse of Caterpillars During National Moth Week
The 11th annual National Moth Week begins July 23, with a theme this year highlighting the small but mighty caterpillar. Take a moment to learn more about the larvae of Lepidoptera and their fascinating forms, habitats, and behaviors.
Silk, Dyes, Jewelry, and More: Insect-Derived Art Through the Ages
A recent review showcases the myriad ways insects can serve as an artistic medium. Explore some of these examples, ranging from beeswax sculptures to scale-insect dyes.
Study Sheds Light on Origins of Unique Silkworm Strain
Dubbed a "living fossil" by researchers, the Yao silkworm has been domesticated in virtual isolation for a millennium by the Baiku Yao ethnic group in China. New genetic research on the strain finds that the Yao silkworm is a primitive form of the domestic silkworm species Bombyx mori and more distantly related to other wild silkworm species.
Hidden Diversity: When One Wasp Species is Actually 16
A tiny parasitoid wasp species, long considered a generalist with more than 65 different host species, is revealed in a new study to actually comprise at least 16 different species, identical in appearance but genetically distinct.