Of late, I'm more frequently called upon to talk about bugs than ever. But to reduce the chances of rendering my audience comatose, I use live insects and hands-on demos to keep things moving. You can also!! This episode describes how to get aquatic insects at almost any time of year using inexpensive improvised gear found in a dollar store, or more durable equipment if you intend to make a habit of this sort of thing.

To see a recent talk go here: tinyurl.com/3htf29tv

And to read about it, you can find my book here:

https://tinyurl.com/McCabeBook

Episode art: timing a standardized sampling event

Freshwater ecologists often group invertebrates based on how they eat. Black fly larvae filter particles out of the water and in one case, they managed to help put a murder behind bars. This time around I'll be chatting about these incredible little organisms that improve water quality and are food chain links between incredibly small morsels and the fish we love to catch.

I'll also be sending some love out to those incredible curators and lovers of books that run independent book stores. On both sides of the Atlantic I have been graciously hosted by independent book stores and I wanted to show my appreciation in this small way.

North Branch Nature Center in Montpelier Vermont will be hosting me on September 26th at 6:30 PM and this event will be co-hosted by Bear Pond Books. We'll talk about my book: Turning Stones: Discovering the Life of Water! You'd all be most welcome!

Macroinvertebrates, or the invertebrates we can see, are sentinels of clean water monitored by professional biologists. They can also be a gateway drug for budding scientists young and young at heart. This episode describes inexpensive equipment for catch-and-release studies of macroinvertebrates in ponds and streams.

This video takes you through the same approaches.

Episode art is clipped from an image uploaded to Wikimedia commons by John Rostron.

Driving directions from Danville if you'd like to join us on Saturday 6/29/24 9:00AM:

At the Route 2 light in Danville, turn south onto Peacham Road. Take an immediate left (at the Danville Post Office) onto Brainerd Street. Stay on Brainerd Street for .8 miles, where you will keep right onto Greenbanks Hollow Road (dirt road). Stay on Greenbanks Hollow Road for 1.9 miles. Go through the covered bridge, and continue south on Thaddeus Stevens Road for one mile.

Parking instructions:

The parking location is on the side of Thaddeus Steven Road at the town line between Peacham and Danville which is one mile south of the Greenbanks Hollow covered bridge in the vicinity of 3027 Thaddeus Stevens Road.

See you at 9am on Saturday.

Imagine a worm that enters the body of a different species, and then takes over its brain, altering its behavior to the benefit of the work and to the detriment of the host. Such is the story of the horsehair worm.

Following this episode I'll announce 2 events. The first is on Wednesday June 19 at 7:00 PM in Beardsley Zoo but also live on Zoom: registration is required: https://connecticutsbeardsleyzoo-bloom.kindful.com/e/june-evening-lecture-2024. I'll be co presenting with Aimee Turcotte (St. Michael's College class of 23). The second event will be a book talk & signing co-hosted by Northern Woodlands at Norwich Bookstore: https://www.norwichbookstore.com/events/20240620

Episode art for this episode is by Eduard Solà Vázquez and shared on Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nematomorpha_Somiedo_(white_background).jpg

In warmer weather, have you ever encountered a cloud of flies buzzing up and down near a water body? Chances are that you have encountered a swarm of midges. This episode gets into the biology of these amazingly diverse little insects. I am also pleased to announce my first book event at Phoenix Books in Burlington Vermont at 7:00PM on Thursday June 6th 2024. Finally, I reveal some secrets of the podcast recording process in my back yard shed.

The episode art is a photograph of a male adult midge with its characteristic feathery antennae. The females have simpler antennae but are none the less incredible products of fine-tuned evolution. The art comes from Wikimedia user WanderingMogwai and is shared under

• CC-BY-SA-4.0

Original image is here: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Non-Biting_Midge_chironomus_spp..jpg

It is entirely likely that you share your dwelling with some generally innocuous beetles that subsist in corners on dried crumbs, cat hair, or other dried organic materials. But, it can sometimes happen that these beetles reach numbers that can threaten wool carpets or fur coats....or worse still, these insects may consume your insect collection. This episode discusses these fellow travelers.

The episode art pictures a varied carpet beetle, one of many species in the family Dermestidae that we discuss today. The photograph was uploaded to Wikimedia Commons by user Didier Descouens.

What sucks the juice out of many plants, leaves a sticky mess that promotes mold growth, and will lay its eggs ANYWHERE. The answer is the spotted lanternfly, a beautiful insect that hails from East Asia and is spreading from an introduction site near Allentown Pennsylvania. Although it is pretty, it can be destructive in its home away from home.

The episode art this week was uploaded by Wikimedia user WanderingMogwai and can be found here: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Spotted_lanternfly_displaying_underwing.jpg

Scuba divers pump compressed air into or out of jackets to hang neutrally buoyant in the water column. Few insects can manage the same feat and must hang onto to plants or expend energy swimming. But one insect can shunt oxygen in and out of an air bubble to "float" anywhere between the water surface and the pond floor. This same insect turns camouflage on it's head to adapt to its unusual back-stroke approach to swimming. Backswimmers do all of this and are also well equipped with a beak that can get your attention if you mishandle them.

The episode art is modified from Didier Descouens' stunning image found here: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Notonecta_maculata_MHNT.jpg