Ecology
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Dragonflies are hard to miss, but have you ever noticed that some species are far more common than others? On a summer walk near water, dragonflies are a familiar sight, bringing flashes of colour to the landscape. However, not all species have the same chances of survival. Some are widespread, with populations increasing, whilst others…
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On a hot day, staying cool is simple… for us at least. For a honey bee, this is a much more difficult task, especially when heating up isn’t just uncomfortable – it can be dangerous. Unlike us, bees can’t simply shed layers or grab a cold drink, and their small bodies heat up quickly. So…
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Have you ever seen a butterfly egg? Most people haven’t. When we think of young butterflies we most often imagine a munching caterpillar, decimating the leaves of its host plant. Its soft, wriggling body working its way down the leaf stem, bearing the lush foliage naked. Each species of butterfly has one or more species…
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Insects have often been a major source of inspiration, fear, and human curiosity. Their anatomy, behaviour, lifestyles are highly specialised and distinct from ours and many other animals. This sense of ‘otherness’ has links in all areas of human expression but there is a particularly prevalent connection insects and gothic culture. By looking into these…
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Ants are everywhere. They crawl across forest floors, march along sidewalks, and quietly build vast underground networks beneath our feet. These tiny insects live in highly organized societies where thousands of individuals work together to gather food, defend their colony, and care for their young. But ants are not just excellent workers, they are also…
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Figure 1: Tardigrade illustration (with thanks to!) © David Krenz If you walk down a busy city street, surrounded by cars, buses, and the urban smog of traffic, it might be hard to imagine that another world exists just a few centimetres away. Yet within the mosses and lichens covering the bark of street trees,…
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