Jeff Lockwood, entomologist and first- rate writer from Wyoming, checked in re passenger pigeons with a link to an amazing essay and some thoughtful commentary: “Great to hear from you! I loved your piece on the Passenger Pigeon (and thanks for the plug/quote!), having recently discussed 1491 with a colleague. Your essay elegantly captures the …
Tag: Insects
BEE Inbreeding!
I know that there have been a lot of furious discussions over DOG inbreeding. But now it appears that the honeybee crisis may well be BEE inbreeding!
Caddis Art
Really! The French artist Hubert Duprat gave gold, turquoise, and other precious metals and stones, to caddis larvae to build their “houses. The results are astonishing. The article gets a bit into “artspeak” but it is worth a look. HT Malinda Chouinard.
A DDT Myth
Increasingly I have been arguing with public- health and some conservative friends re the bans on DDT and other chlorinated hydrocarbons. They seem to think that it is responsible for the increase in malaria in Africa. They mean well, but they are wrong. If DDt is used properly it is no threat– if it is …
Bee Crisis
.. and a little barking lunacy just for fun. As anyone environmentally concerned knows, domestic honeybees are disappearing. Here is a detailed and balanced view of the problem. While I agree that Africanized bees– present here– are overhyped as a danger (and may well be a source of mite- resistant genes) the native pollinators may …