Tar Pits Are a Death Trap. Except for This Fly.
Within the sprawling metropolis of Los Angeles, not far from West Hollywood and Beverly Hills, paleontologists are hard at work sorting through one of the richest collections of ice age fossils in the...
View ArticleThis Mite-y Beetle Buries the Dead to Start a Family
Insects called burying beetles haul mouse carcasses down into the dirt and prep them to feed their future offspring. Also known as carrion beetles, they have some stiff competition … and some help from...
View ArticleNew Bay Area Research Reveals the Secret Lives of Sperm Whales
Sightings of sperm whales are rare in Monterey Bay. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t nearby, deep under the surface of the ocean. Scientists at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute analyzed a...
View Article5 Creepy Creatures Out to Suck Your Blood
Chances are you’ve got one of these bloodsuckers lurking nearby. Mosquitoes, ticks, lice, kissing bugs and tsetse flies are all looking to grab a bite … of you. See exactly how they do it and what you...
View ArticleWhy Do Sunflowers Face the Sunrise?
To bring all the bees to the yard! These pollinators love warm, bright blooms early in the morning. But how did these plants end up facing east? It turns out they spend their whole life getting in just...
View ArticleThese Bees Hustle to Put Food on the Table
You know honeybees make honey, but did you know they make bread too? And four other types of bees are also dedicated chefs! Alfalfa leafcutting bees take a punch from a flower for your ice cream. Blue...
View ArticleGlowing and Swimming Sea Slugs Newly Discovered in the Deep Sea
Monterey Bay researchers have discovered a remarkable new species of sea slug that lives in the deep sea. The glowing nudibranch swims through the ocean’s midnight zone with a large gelatinous hood and...
View ArticleLacewing Love Is Noisier Than You Think
Lacewings have babies that are prized as pest control. But before they can mate, they have to vibrate their bodies and sing to each other, making noises like purring cats or growling stomachs....
View ArticleBeware of Flesh-Eating Sand Piranhas at the Beach
Known as sand piranhas, Excirolana chiltoni are tiny crustaceans that nibble at your feet – and draw blood – if you hang out on the wet sand at the beach. They live on the Pacific coast of the U.S. and...
View ArticleWant a Cozy, Free Home? Ask This Caterpillar How
As a caterpillar, a grass skipper butterfly is an architect. It builds its home by weaving skeins of silk, which the caterpillar uses to fold shut a blade of grass. After growing up inside this “grass...
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