There Will Be Bugs

Episode 31 - Ben's Favorite Insects

Listener, did you ask Ben what his favorite insect is? Well, that's probably how you found yourself here. I hope you enjoy shovels, digging, and hard-working Hymenoptera.

Episode 30 - Galls

In this episode we are talking about more insect-plant relationships. Galls are mysterious structures, but how do they get there? What can you do about them? We will cover all this and possibly more - but no promises.

Episode 29 - (Complete) Metamorphosis

Why was the hungry, hungry caterpillar so hungry? We aren't sure, but it comes up again in this episode about metamorphosis! What insects undergo metamorphosis? How do they do they go through this process? Why would they even want to? Listen in to learn more.

Episode 28 - Herbivorous Arms Race

Do you ever wonder when insects started eating plants? Do you wonder why insects only eat certain plants? Are you curious if Ben is ever going to mail the letter sitting in his backpack? This might be the episode for you, for we explore these important questions and more! Some corrections for the show: Genetic recombination isn’t purely due to chance—it’s a tightly regulated process guided by enzymes and hotspots in the genome, though the specific DNA segments exchanged can appear random, adding genetic diversity. Also, Ben meant to reference the superfamily Ichneumonoidea and many Hymenoptera are predators and scavengers along with being parasitoids, gall makers, and pollinators.

Episode 27 - Taxonomy, Systematics, and Phylogenetics, Oh My!

Get ready! In this episode, we dive into how DNA, morphology, and life history are used to define organisms. We'll explore the history of naming organisms and discuss how those rules continue to evolve.