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E.O. Wilson Biography
Edward Osborne Wilson is an American biologist, philosopher, humanist, and author. He is a well-known entomologist and is considered the world-leading expert in myrmecology—the study of ants. Wilson is an evolutionary theorist, known for his pioneering work on island biogeography, developed in collaboration with mathematician Robert MacArthur. Wilson is also […]

Jewel Beetles: Natural History and Interesting Facts
Brilliantly colored and shiny to a fault, the Jewel Beetle is the common name for beetles in the Buprestidae taxonomic family. Jewel beetles, also called metallic beetles or wood-boring beetles, are so named because of their distinctive glossy bright colors and iridescent carapaces. Jewel beetles are among the largest families […]

Bullet Ant: World’s Most Painful Insect
The Bullet Ant (Paraponera clavata) is a species of ant native to parts of Central and South America. Bullet ants, also known as giant hunting ants and conga ants, are known for their aggressive defensive behavior and extremely painful sting. Bullet ants are commonly found in wet rainforests in Honduras, […]

Introduction to Insect Taxonomic Classification
Here is a question: is a butterfly a bug? Contrary to what you might think, no, butterflies are technically not bugs. Butterflies are insects, but they lack the features necessary to be considered “true” bugs. When it comes to biology, classifications like “insect” or “bug” take on a very specific […]

Death Head Moth Natural History
The Death Head Moth, also known as the Death’s-head hawkmoth, refers to any one of three moth species in the genus Acherontia (A. atropos, A. styx, and A. Lachesis). Atropos species is most commonly found in Europe and Africa while the other two species are mostly found in Asia. Death […]

Swallowtail Butterfly Natural History
The swallowtail butterfly is a name for a number of species of butterfly that fall under the family Papilionidae. There are over 550 different species of swallowtail and they exist on every continent except for Antarctica. These beautiful, colorful, and surprisingly durable insects have been observed living in even the […]

Rhinoceros Beetles
Rhinoceros beetles are beetles that fall under the subfamily Dynastinae. They are sometimes referred to as Hercules beetles, horn beetles, or unicorn beetles. They are known for their impressive size and unique physical appearance, including the large horn-like protrusions present in only in males. They are among the largest group of […]