Dr. Tim's Spineless Wonders
Dr. Tim's Spineless Wonders
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Why Beetles Require a Thick Skin
Wednesday, August 5th, 2020
One of our greatest social fears is to appear in public at a party wearing the identical dress or shirt or outfit that another person is wearing. Some say there could be nothing worse. “Same dress fear” is a foreboding that, even if conceived only in one’s imagination, can cause alarm, panic and, if left…
Read More A Cockroach in the Kitchen is NOT the End of the World
Monday, July 6th, 2020
I don’t spend a lot of time pondering what might cause the end of our world as we know it, be it an asteroid colliding with and knocking Earth out of orbit; a rogue black hole appearing out of nowhere, sucking our world into its inescapable and unforgiving clutches; a massive volcanic eruption filling the…
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Bipedal vs. Hexapedal Wonders
Wednesday, June 3rd, 2020
After my children progressed from the stage where they argued with friends about whose dad was biggest or whose dad could beat up whose dad, they moved on to more civil comparisons. It was always interesting for me to hear them try to explain what their dad does. “My dad is a bug doctor. That’s…
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Sit, Stay and Don’t Shake Paws
Monday, May 4th, 2020
A lot has happened since my last column. Our sense of normality has been drastically altered. We are staying home more, and when we do go out for necessities we are very cautious of everyone else’s movements so that we don’t violate the 6-feet safe space. We habitually wash hands, disinfect surfaces and even wear…
Read More What has a fly with a flu to do with you?
Wednesday, April 1st, 2020
Viruses are at the top of nearly everyone’s list of concerns right now, and understandably so. COVID-19 has wreaked havoc within our medical community and our current way of life. Ripple effects to our economy are yet to be determined – huge ramifications for such a tiny, sub-microscopic “bug.” Viruses are so small that 100…
Read More Did you hear the one about the huge camel spider? Well …
Tuesday, March 3rd, 2020
On several occasions photos of huge camel spiders, the size of a human’s calf, have exploded across the internet, accompanied by alarming stories describing how the spiders attacked and partially consumed a U.S. soldier stationed in Iraq. In each case the soldier reportedly was completely unaware of his plight until he awakened in the morning…
Read More Snow fleas: Winter Insect Insanity
Tuesday, February 4th, 2020
An entomological rule of thumb is that insects are active in the spring, summer, and fall, but not the winter. It is what we always expect and even come to rely on. By the time winter hits, insects should either be smart enough to come in out of the cold, or they should have figured…
Read More You see a tree. Insects see a welcome mat.
Tuesday, January 7th, 2020
Leaf-footed pine bugs can be inadvertently carried into a home on Christmas trees. Boxelder bugs brought into a home on firewood. If you are convinced that insects have really declared war against humans, you might want to review the rules of engagement set forth in the Geneva Convention. Specifically, note that the rules do NOT…
Read More Insect Biology and the Necessary Hedge Words
Friday, December 6th, 2019
When teaching about insects, biologists almost never say “always” or “never.” The words “almost always,” usually,” “most often,” “generally,” “ordinarily,” and “normally” can save a lot of trouble because in biology, there is “almost always” an exception to every rule. Take, for example, the characteristics that separate insects from other classes of animals. Insects are…
Read More Uninvited Stink Bugs in the Home – Dispatch Satisfaction
Tuesday, November 5th, 2019
Some time ago I wrote a Spineless Wonders column about the invasion of stink bugs – specifically, the brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys). I described what this particular stink bug looks and smells like, where it originated from, its current American distribution as well as when and why it is attracted to and gets…
Read More Plague of Locusts – or Whatever They Are Called
Thursday, October 3rd, 2019
Dear Dr. Tim, What’s up with all the locusts, or whatever you call the “hoppy” insects that are all over our neighborhood. Is this the start of a plague? They look like normal grasshoppers to me except that they are everywhere. Can you explain this and will we have them again next year? Signed Moses…
Read More Hover Fly vs. Homeowner – Conflict Mediation
Thursday, September 5th, 2019
As an entomologist, I find that it often falls on me to serve as a sort of de facto mediator in ongoing or potential insect/human conflicts. My role is to facilitate understanding and communication between both parties with a view to helping them reach a mutually amicable resolution. As a mediator I sift through the…
Read More Japanese ‘Beetlemania’ Continues
Tuesday, August 6th, 2019
Beatlemania was often used to describe the frenzy, excessive enthusiasm, obsession and fascination directed at a British pop group, the Beatles, when they first arrived in America. Their introduction elicited hysterical screaming by fans whenever the Beatles landed at an airport or appeared in public. Beatlemania of a different kind accompanies Japanese beetles each year…
Read More Flies in a home are a complicated issue
Wednesday, June 26th, 2019
Dear Dr. Tim, I have a simple question. Can you tell me how to get those pesky flies out of my home? You know the ones I am talking about – those obnoxious black ones, the ones that really annoy you. Thanks for your help. Ann Oyd (aka annoyed) People seldom appreciate what it takes…
Read More Flowers, Pollinators, and the Ripple Effect
Wednesday, June 5th, 2019
Most people understand that nothing in nature exists in isolation. All nature is connected. Any change in one component affects others, causing more changes and alterations that impact still other components down the line and so on. It is called the ripple effect. Everything is nature is interconnected and interdependent. Local weather conditions affect the…
Read More Tick Talk Time
Monday, May 6th, 2019
Black-legged tick life stages. From left: adult female, adult male, nymph, larva.Photo credits: Lee Green, Medical Entomologist, Indiana State Department of Health It is tick talk time, but when I say “tick talk” I am not referring to a timekeeping device, such as a watch or a clock. I am simply pointing out that spring…
Read More Insects as Pets: Consider the Advantages
Wednesday, April 3rd, 2019
Pets are part of the family for nearly 62% of Americans. According to a recent pet census, a whopping 69.9 million dogs are kept as pets in the United States. And get this: There are even more cats – 74.1 million of them. That seems like a lot of dogs and cats. U.S. pet ownership…
Read More Insect Biomimicry and Why I love Spider-Man
Friday, March 1st, 2019
You might think it strange to see a small kid, all by himself, dressed in red and black, lurking in random corners of the home. He crouches, motionless, silent, ever-watching for a chance to spring upon some unsuspecting passerby. This might freak out other people, but for me it is a welcome sight. It is…
Read More Valentine’s Day Strategies – Tips I have learned from insects
Friday, February 8th, 2019
Valentine’s Day is nearly here so, as an alert to all guys out there who have significant others and want to keep them, do not forget February 14th. It is pretty important to your relationship, and flubbing this one is akin to forgetting her birthday or wondering why she is not home and suddenly remembering…
Read More Insects May Be Smiling on the Inside
Wednesday, January 2nd, 2019
As a fourth-grader I drew my first real insect in art class. I think it was a pretty good rendering. It was anatomically correct for the most part, right up until the very end when, as children often do, I planted a big ole smiley face on the head, two dots for eyes, a circle…
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