 | Flint Hills - Birds and Butterflies
The abundant prairie wildflowers attract a variety of bird and butterfly species.
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| Seventeen Year Cicadas
The life cycle of some cicadas lasts for 17 years, most of which is spent underground until they emerge for a few weeks as adults.
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| Dragons and Damsels
A quarter of the dragonfly species in North America can be found in Maryland, including the smallest of all - the elfin skimmer.
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| Fire Ants
Despite scientists' best efforts, fire ants, a non-native species introduced from South America, have been nearly impossible to eradicate.
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| Butterflies
Butterflies appear beautiful to us, but their coloration also has a practical use: it's what helps them to survive.
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| Iowa's Prairies: The Skipper Butterfly
The skipper, a butterfly native to Iowa's prairies, serves as an indicator of the health of prairie ecosystems.
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| Surviving in the Desert - Reptiles and Insects
To survive in the intense heat of the desert, animals like the sidewinder and desert tortoise have found ways to keep cool and store precious water.
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| Leafcutter Ants and Leaf-Nosed Bats
Students on a field trip to Mexico take a look at two interesting species of animals native to the area - leafcutter ants and leaf-nosed bats.
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| The Mighty Mesquite
The mesquite tree is a successful desert-dweller that attracts all sorts of creatures with its flowers, shade and sweet bean-pods.
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| Paynes Prairie, Florida - Butterflies
The moist environment of a hardwood hammock draws numerous butterflies, including sulfurs, skippers and a gulf fritillary.
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| Maine's Baxter State Park - River and Bog
Water is plentiful in the woods of Maine, whether from a rushing stream or a lush bog, and living things from mosses to moose love to take advantage of it.
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| Great Salt Plains - Woods and Pond
An area of standing freshwater gives rise to a diverse forest, along with a pond surrounded by lilies and cattails.
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| Great Salt Plains - Freshwater Pond
A lush freshwater pond situated in Oklahoma's Great Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge is attractive to butterflies, dragonflies, turtles and frogs alike.
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| Agave Pollination
Since it flowers only once in its lifetime, the agave relies upon pollinators like native bees to help in its reproductive efforts.
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| Arthropods: Inside Out
Since their skeletons are on the outside, looking at arthropods through an x-ray reveals different information about their insides.
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| Non-Native Fire Ants
Dangerous to both humans and native wildlife, fire ants are a non-native insect that continues to spread north from the southern United States.
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| Plant Reproduction
In order to reproduce, plants depend upon insects or other creatures for pollination - a very important process that is often overlooked.
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| Wide World of Pollinators
Bees, hummingbirds, moths and bats are just some of the creatures that pollinate the flowering plants of the world.
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| Managing Pollinators
For farmers who rely on bees and other insects to pollinate their crops, keeping native bees has become an intelligent solution.
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| Protecting Pollinators
Pesticides and herbicides can be as dangerous to beneficial pollinators as to other insects; therefore, protecting pollinators is essential.
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| Horse Lubber Grasshoppers
Horse lubber grasshoppers enjoy the warm, dry climate of Arizona's Sonoran Desert.
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| Boxing Flies
The peculiar behavior of the species of fruit fly known as the boxing fly has prompted scientists to study these tiny insects.
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| Giant Water Bugs
The unusual giant water bug is one of the rare species in which only the male cares for the eggs.
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| Yucca Moths
In a mutually-beneficial relationship, a small moth pollinates the yucca plant in return for a protective place to lay her eggs.
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| Dune Insects
The shifting landscape of sand dunes provides a hot, dry and sometimes treacherous habitat suitable only for a few insects that have adapted to it.
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| Bald Eagle State Park Butterfly Trail
The habitat along the Butterfly Trail at Bald Eagle State Park has been specifically designed to attract and support butterflies.
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| Lake Tahoe - Spooner Lake
A man-made body of water, Spooner Lake near Lake Tahoe is home to a very different cast of characters from those that inhabit the larger lake.
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| Devils Tower National Monument Wyoming - Ridge
Ponderosa pine surround a meadow full of plant and insect life along the dry ridge of Devils Tower National Monument.
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| Florida Aquatic Insects
Since they hold a place at the very beginning of the food web, aquatic insects provide a good indication of the health of an ecosystem.
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| Insect Life in a Desert Pond
The organic-rich environment of the desert water hole provides a perfect home for insect life.
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| Oak Gall Wasps
The galls, or growths, on oak trees play an important role for wasps by serving as a home and food source for developing larvae.
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| Ants and Plants
The activities of ant colonies offer many benefits to plants, including aerating the soil, dispersing seeds and moderating ground temperature.
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| Aquatic Insects
Aquatic insects face daunting challenges throughout their life cycle as they strive to reproduce and avoid predators.
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| Silverspot Butterfly
Several organizations concerned about the welfare of the endangered Oregon silverspot butterfly have joined forces to help protect this species.
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| Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes play an integral role in the ecosystem, providing food for birds, reptiles and other insects.
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| Florida's Butterflies
Butterflies have adapted a number of amazing traits which help them avoid predators.
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| No-See-Ums
No-see-ums are tiny insects, less than a millimeter in size, which are sometimes an annoyance but also play an important role in the food chain.
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| Florida Dragonflies
Sensitive to the effects of development, dragonflies are an indicator of a region's ecological health.
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| Ticks
Though they carry diseases that can infect humans, ticks can be avoided if the right steps are taken.
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| Tiny Bugs
Examine the microscopic world of some tiny insects that play a vital role in the environment.
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| Backyard Spiders
Spider species are so numerous and diverse that they can be found almost everywhere, even in the microhabitats of the backyard.
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| Spider Cooperation
Most spiders are solitary hunters; however, there are several species that work in groups to gather food.
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| Spiderwebs
The strong and flexible silk fibers that spiders secrete to build their webs serve many different purposes.
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| Africanized Honeybees
Like many exotic species, the Africanized honeybee was originally introduced to South America by people.
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| Africanized Honeybee Colonies
Researchers are working to better understand how Africanized honeybees colonize and spread.
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| Africanized Honeybee Behavior
The threat Africanized honeybees pose to people and animals stems from their tendency to agressively attack intruders to their hives.
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| Arizona Butterflies
Southeastern Arizona is home to nearly one-third of the butterfly species found in the United States.
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| Researching he Feeding Habits of Moths - Part 1
Researchers collect floral scents and use camera equipment to study how and why moths are attracted to certain flowers.
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| Dragonflies
Dragonflies are ancient insects, dating back about 250 million years.
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| Researching the Feeding Habits of Moths - Part 2
Researchers use powdered day-glo paint to help them observe how moths feed on and pollinate flowers.
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| Dermestid Beetles
The voracious appetite of the dermestid carniverous beetle plays an important role in the ecosystems of caves and the work of scientists.
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| Spiders
Spiders are not always as scary as they look - and they play an important role in the ecosystem.
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| War on Weeds
To combat invasive, non-native plants, biologists are focusing on the plants' natural predators: insects.
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| Honeydew Harvester Ants
A colony of thatch ants somehow divide and coordinate numerous tasks to feed and shelter the entire colony.
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| Minnesota Monarch Butterflies
Northern Hills Prairie Park in Minnesota is an important stopping place for migrating monarch butterflies.
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| Protecting the Karner Blue Butterfly
The Department of Natural Resources is taking an active role in protecting the habitat of the Karner blue butterfly.
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| Controlling Biting Insects
An entomologist talks about ways to control biting horse flies, a common and annoying summer pest.
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| Oregon Rain Beetles
An in-depth look at one of Oregon's oldest insects - the Rain Beetle - and its brief but very active life cycle.
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| Dragonfly Study - Part 1
Older than the dinosaurs, dragonflies are beautiful and fascinating, yet relatively unknown.
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| Dragonfly Study - Part 2
Older than the dinosaurs, dragonflies are beautiful and fascinating, yet relatively unknown.
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| House Spiders
Spiders have developed remarkable skills in order to trap their prey; many spiders have a beneficial relationship with humans.
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