Archives for Insects

Keeping Bees

by Jane Wangersky June 1st, 2010 | Insects
Bees, like rats, are creatures that most people try to keep away from their homes -- and that some people enjoy keeping around.

One of these was a client of ours who used to own a boarding kennel. Out back were several hives full of bees  (which belonged to him -- no, he didn't board bees), and sometimes my husband would help him collect honey in return for a share of it. Though few people like bees, most people like honey.

PB Majalakare, whose rural home is also home to a million bees, shares some thoughts on life with them:

  • "I
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The New Pet Craze?

by Ronald A. Rowe September 4th, 2009 | Insects
A recent article in Australian newspaper The Daily Telegraph reports that a new pet craze is hitting the land down under. Before you read any further, I need to point out that I am not making this up.  I'm reporting what I read for your edification.  This new pet that has Australians all a twitter sells for up to $100 for a breeding pair.  The cuddly, lovable pet I'm referring to is none other than... wait for it... the giant burrowing cockroach!

Seriously.  The giant burrowing cockroach.  Putting the word 'giant' and 'cockroach' together in the same sentence would be
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Ants of Indonesia

by MPK January 1st, 2008 | Insects
All ant societies are composed entirely of females; males have only one purpose to fertilize the queen and then die. The queen which is a thousand times the body weight of the smallest worker is the only ant that is fertile. Every worker is her daughter. There can be hundreds of thousands of ants in a nest. The Ants of Indonesia can have trunk trails that lead from the nest to be as long as 300 feet. If one scales the trunk to the size of a minor worker it would be 30 miles long. The traffic often runs heavy
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