Insects
Learn more about bark beetles, termites, the hemlock wooly adelgid, invasive insects, and more with a variety of Natural Inquirer resources. Browse by topic, grade band, and resource type.
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Plague is an infectious disease that is transmitted to other mammals by fleas. Prairie dogs are particularly susceptible to plague.…Prairie Dog Days: How Fleas Transmit the Plague and its Effects on Gunnison’s Prairie Dog
Plague is an infectious disease that is transmitted to other mammals by fleas. Prairie dogs are particularly susceptible to plague. The scientists in this study were interested in figuring out... -
Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) once could be found from southeastern Virginia to eastern Texas. Longleaf pines are not usually killed…aPods Rule! What Happens to Arthropods Following a Wildland Fire?
Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) once could be found from southeastern Virginia to eastern Texas. Longleaf pines are not usually killed by fire. Because these pines need open spaces to survive,... -
The emerald ash borer is an invasive species to the United States. While it isn’t a major pest in its…The Emerald Ash Borer: Invading Ash Trees in the Oxbow
The emerald ash borer is an invasive species to the United States. While it isn’t a major pest in its native range of northern China and Korea, here in the... -
The emerald ash borer is an invasive species that uses ash trees for reproduction and food. Their activity ultimately kills…The Emerald Ash Borer: An Ash Tree’s Worst Enemy!
The emerald ash borer is an invasive species that uses ash trees for reproduction and food. Their activity ultimately kills the tree. In this study, the student scientists are trying... -
Water is constantly moving throughout the natural environment. Some scientists study the flow of water into, out of, and held…Woolly Bully: Estimating the Effect of an Invasive Insect on an Area’s Water Cycle
Water is constantly moving throughout the natural environment. Some scientists study the flow of water into, out of, and held within particular natural areas. Trees play a role in the... -
The pine shoot beetle is an invasive species in the Great Lakes region of the United States. The pine shoot beetle was brought…Shoot! Foiled Again! Using Chemicals to Discourage the Pine Shoot Beetle
The pine shoot beetle is an invasive species in the Great Lakes region of the United States. The pine shoot beetle was brought to the United States from Europe, Asia, and northern Africa. The... -
The nun moth is a major pest of conifers and an occasional pest of broadleaf trees in Europe and Asia.…And Then There Were Nun: Trees That Could Be Endangered by a Nun Moth Invasion
The nun moth is a major pest of conifers and an occasional pest of broadleaf trees in Europe and Asia. The scientist in this study wanted to discover which trees... -
The Asian long-horned beetle is an insect pest that was discovered in New York in 1996 and Chicago in 1998. It arrived…Tag, You’re It! Using Harmonic Radar to Track the Flight of Beetles
The Asian long-horned beetle is an insect pest that was discovered in New York in 1996 and Chicago in 1998. It arrived in the United States on wood packing material that was being used... -
Prairies are grasslands that are often used as forage for cattle. When a wildfire burns across a prairie, the grass…Time Will Tell: Does Wildfire Damage the Prairie?
Prairies are grasslands that are often used as forage for cattle. When a wildfire burns across a prairie, the grass is killed immediately and there is no forage for cattle.... -
Prairies are grasslands that are often used as forage for cattle. When a wildfire burns across a prairie, the grass…
Time Will Tell: Does Wildfire Damage the Prairie? (Spanish)
Prairies are grasslands that are often used as forage for cattle. When a wildfire burns across a prairie, the grass is killed immediately and there is no forage for cattle....
