They come in droves! Periodical cicadas — the ones with 13- or 17-year cycles — first made an appearance in scientific literature about 300 years ago. These cicadas are distinct from the ones that make an appearance every summer. The periodical cicadas remain juveniles for more than a decade until hormones kick in and turn …
1. Goliathus cacicus Latin name: Goliathus cacicus Where they are found: Nigeria, Liberia, Ghana, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast Size: 50 – 100 millimeters (males), 40 – 70 millimeters (females) Unique feature: Orange thorax, pure white back Diet: Fruit, tree sap What’s unique about the Goliathus cacicus Goliath beetle? You’ll be able to spot a Goliathus cacicus faster than any other Goliath beetle. Not …
Ever wonder what leafcutter ants do with all those leaves? Turns out, they’re not for eating (at least, not directly). The leaves serve as the raw organic material on which to grow the real prize – a crop of delicious fungus. The cultivation of fungus by ants is thought to have begun around 50 million …
The largest known insect of all time was a predator resembling a dragonfly but was only distantly related to them. Its name is Meganeuropsis, and it ruled the skies before pterosaurs, birds and bats had even evolved. Most popular textbooks make mention of “giant dragonflies” that lived during the days before the dinosaurs. This is …
