by Matt Pelikan | Jul 25, 2022 | Insects, Martha's Vineyard Atlas of Life
A vastly diverse and ecologically vital group of insects, the moths (most of the members in the order Lepidoptera) have also emerged as one of the most popular subjects for amateur nature study. There are good reasons for this: moths can be incredibly beautiful, and... 
by Matt Pelikan | Jun 21, 2022 | Insects, Martha's Vineyard Atlas of Life
There is virtually no end to the list of strange life histories insects have evolved. I came across a good example as I tended a moth sheet (a white sheet illuminated by black-light bulbs, used to attract nocturnal insects) during our Long Point Wildlife Refuge... 
by Matt Pelikan | Jun 15, 2022 | Insects, Martha's Vineyard Atlas of Life, Uncategorized
To be successful at hunting or fishing, the saying goes, you need to learn to think like your prey. The same is true of insect study: by learning to imagine the world from an insect’s perspective, you greatly increase your chances of finding something... 
by Matt Pelikan | Jun 1, 2022 | Insects, Martha's Vineyard Atlas of Life
Flies – the order Diptera – are an incredibly diverse group, and they’ve evolved an astonishing array of bizarre life histories. I recently encountered an example of one of the stranger things the world of Diptera has to offer: the bot fly... 
by Matt Pelikan | May 19, 2022 | Environmental Issues, Insects, Martha's Vineyard Atlas of Life, Uncategorized, Wildflowers
Friday, May 20, is both Endangered Species Day and World Bee Day. What could be a more appropriate topic for that dual celebration than an endangered bee? Walsh’s Anthophora (Anthophora walshii), a rare species throughout the Northeast, is listed as... 
by Matt Pelikan | Jun 21, 2021 | Insects, Martha's Vineyard Atlas of Life
Perhaps because of their elongated shape, members of the fly family Therevidae have acquired the common name “stiletto flies.” This is a smallish fly family, widespread but said to be most diverse in Australia; bugguide reports only 150 species in this...