As we dive deeper into our month-long study of spiders, it makes sense to take a quick look as to why these particular arachnids are the source of fear. As we noted earlier this month, the connection between spiders and other scarier elements of Halloween is rather recent compared to the age of the earth and evolutionary patterns. We’ve also examined in the past how scorpions are often much more of a threat than spiders, yet have a less troublesome reputation. So why do we fear spiders so much? Apparently that’s a harder question to answer than we thought. It comes down to the age old argument ..read more

As we reach the midpoint of October and our special series on spiders, we’d like to talk about some often seen creatures that are sometimes spiders… and sometimes not! Among the more popular spiders that creep people out when they spot them indoors are Daddy Long Legs. But nine times out of ten what we’re seeing is not a spider. Said the Spider… Pholcus phalangioides or cellar spiders are pale, yellow brown spiders with a large grey patch on their backs. They have eight, nearly translucent legs, covered in fine grey hair. In fact, they are so nearly see-thru that if you look at them though a m ..read more

As we cruise into the second week of October, you’ve probably noticed a lot of new seasonal items at our local stores. No, not the Christmas stuff – yes, we know it’s already on shelves, and Starbucks started doing their PSL’s in August! But we tend to be more traditional around here. So of course, we’re talking about Halloween! For the month of October, we’re going to talk about a perennial part of the various Halloween traditions since at least the middle ages – Spiders. The Myth Witches, in some form or fashion, have existed from the oldest recorded stories we know. One of the oldest myths ..read more

Growing up, one of the elderly ladies in our church was known for proudly declaring that she always ate her dessert first. She believed that while food that was good for us was necessary, taking pleasure in eating sweets was just as important – especially as she approached the end of her life. Certain insects have had the same revelation. If you’ve ever been bothered by yellowjackets and other wasps outside at a Labor Day picnic or Halloween gathering, you’ve seen evidence of this. While wasps will occasionally trouble humans eating all year round, they get more aggressive in the Autumn – even ..read more

We talk a lot about the diversity in creation and the interesting things we discover about insects. We’re always learning more about and from them. A lot of times, those articles come about because of scientific studies and research. But it might surprise you to know that a lot of that research is accomplished thanks to amateur entomologists. Scientists are often out and about exploring the environment and looking for new samples of existing and potentially new species. It’s estimated that we’ve discovered and cataloged some 1.2 million insect species. Which sounds like a lot, right? But resea ..read more

We have no shortage of interesting insects to discover here on the Gulf Coast of Florida. Of course, we’ve got the usual suspects – cockroaches, ants, termites, flies, and mosquitoes. And we frequently have more variety – or it seems that way. Quite often what seems like a special species is just our term of endearment for an existing insect. Calling a cockroach a palmetto bug may sound way cooler, but it’s still the same bug, just airborn! Sometimes the nickname isn’t as much interesting as descriptive. For example, there are biting midges – or as we call them, No-See-Um’s! The name, obviousl ..read more

We love living in the tropical paradise here on the Gulf Coast of Florida. But there is one major irritant we just can’t seem to get away from. Sure, hurricanes pop up from time to time, but we’re plagued almost year round by our “state insect,” the mosquito. But now the same gene editing technology that led to fast result COVID-19 tests and a potential cure for Sickle Cell Anemia could also be used to make us virtually invisible to the biting pests we have to deal with. Much of the research into CRISPR-Cas9 shifted in 2020 to taking on the novel Coronavirus. But recently, scientists at the Un ..read more

This week, we flip the calendar from August to September, and the kids go back to school. Although summer doesn’t officially end until September 22, this upcoming weekend has long been considered the end of summer. We do picnics, take one last family trip to the beach, and sort through our closets. But where did Labor Day come from? It may be hard for us to imagine how different working conditions were over a hundred years ago. After all, look at how many of our jobs have changed just in the past 16 months! Birth of a Nationwide Movement Labor Unions are very much an American tradition. The fi ..read more

Most of the rest of the United States is preparing for the fall season to begin. But while they look forward to leaves changing color, we have our own fall tradition – love bug season! God only knows why we suffer from two seasons of these highway terrors every year, but we do. Their first mating season hits in May, then subsides until we reach September again. So as we reload our windshield wiper fluid and arm ourselves with window squeegees, why don’t we look at some of the more… unusual beliefs about Florida’s second least favorite insect. Airing Their Dirty Laundry Because love bugs tend t ..read more

Yes, we know… Here on the Gulf Coast of Florida it seems like every day is a mosquito day. Why do we need a holiday for it? There’s actually a really good reason for it! On August 20, 1897, Dr. Sir Ronald Ross uncovered the link between mosquitoes and the transmission of malaria. He was later awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in Physiology & Medicine for the discovery. Shortly after he won the prestigious award, he publicly declared that the day should be commemorated – as a way to raise awareness of malaria. In the 1930’s, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine decided to make a b ..read more