Entomology, Insects, and Bugs
Monthly Archive: December Ento
Entomystery – why did the beetles go to camp?
Occasionally, I put on my entomological detective hat to investigate insect mysteries. This one was a beetle mystery at my son’s camp in a Toronto elementary school. My son reported a large number (hundreds!) of tiny beetles swarming the windows in his classroom and asked me to look at them.
The ROM's Remarkable Bees
Guest blog by Antonia Guidotti, Entomology Technician
ROM visitors love the live hive of European Honey Bees in the Hands-on Biodiversity Gallery. They are encouraged to look for the queen bee and if they find her, will receive an “I found the Queen Bee” sticker.
Most Common Questions
Are they alive?
Yes, they are. Look closely at the hive and you will see how busy these bees are.
What do they eat?
What's the Buzz on Bees?
Antonia Guidotti, is an Entomology Technician at the ROM.
Beautiful Bugs! A New Acquisition
The ROM Library has recently acquired an edition of E. A. Séguy’s Insects, published in the 1920s. The book contains highly coloured and detailed full-page illustrations of insects, executed in the expensive pochoir printing technique favoured at this time.
Does a mild winter mean more insects?
With increasing frequency, as spring rolls in, ROM entomologists are asked this question: will mild winter temperatures result in more bugs this spring and summer? Unfortunately, there is no simple “yes” or “no” answer to this question — the best response is “It depends”.
Bugs are moving in (not bed bugs this time)
Question: It’s fall, why are all these bugs coming into my home? I’ve never seen them before!
Western conifer seed bug; copyright ROM images
Biodiversity Series wins award!
The Ontario Association of Landscape Architects recognized the City of Toronto Biodiversity Series of booklets with their Service to the Environment award. The award is “In recognition of the recipient’s ongoing contribution in supporting sensitive, sustainable stewardship of the environment.”
Yellowjackets (a.k.a. Late Summer Picnic Pests)
We love picnicking outside in the summer but in August and September our meals are inevitably cut short because of wasps. What are they and what can we do about them?
I found what looks like a tiny “caterpillar” in my home. What is it?
Let’s take a look at a common critter that share our space. Amazingly, over 500 species of arthropods have been recorded in houses! One of our most common household guests is the carpet beetle. The larvae look like tiny, furry, ‘caterpillars’.
Larva of a carpet beetle, family Dermestidae, also known as skin or hide beetles. Drawing: copyright ROM.
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