insects (Page 7)

UPDATE – Gary Mitchell reports in the Montgomery (AL) Advertiser that yellow jacket wasps have begun building huge nests in that state. Gigantic wasp nests are turning up in places like abandoned cars, barns and houses?and they are so large that they COMPLETELY FILL THEM UP. No one knows what has sparked this unusual behavior, but they think it may be a result of global warming. UPDATE: To see video of a huge floating wasp nest in Georgia, click here.
read more

The number of domesticated honeybees in the U.S. hasdeclined by about 50%. Unless this changes, many fruits andvegetables may disappear from the food supply.

John Roach writes in National Geographic News that beepollination is responsible for 15 to 30% of the food we eat.Biologist Claire Kremen is hearing many more stories latelyabout farmers losing their crops due to the honeybeeshortage. Last February, there weren’t enough honeybees forall the almond blossoms in California, so some farmers hadsmaller crops than usual.

Entomologist Dewey Caron says, “?We started to ask, Well,what is affecting the bees? What can we do to keep themhealthier?”
read more

One of the first signs of global warming is missingbirds andinsects. As the weather changes, they’re turning up in newplaces and missing from their old haunts. Since some birdsand butterflies migrate annually, they may also be confusedby the pole shift, which is in progress right now.

The number of Red Admiral, Orange Sulphur and Painted Ladybutterflies in the Chicago area has dropped dramaticallythis summer. Naturalist Jack Pomatto says, “I don’t know ifit’s because of the drought or the cold summer or thestrange weather, but it’s a disappointment.”
read more

Ordinary wasps and hornets are bad enough, but it turns out that wasps are building radioactive nests in a nuclear power plant in Hanford, Washington. And regular hornets are dive bombing people’s ears, attracted by the perfume behind them.
read more