Bug-Lover's Club

[Cassowary]

I've seen videos of people hand-feeding wasps, so I figured it was plausible. I know a guy who's trying to coax a queen he found into making a nest, though I don't think that's been working out well - none of us know how to, and she hasn't been eating much.

Obesity? How does that happen? I would've thought that the exoskeleton would prevent them from eating too much and gaining weight. Is it more a fat/muscle ratio than a weight issue?

[Byakugan01]

Arachnoboards had a whole thread on how to get wasps to build a nest...but I can't find it right now, it seems to have disappeared.

The obesity occurs because the abdomen IS flexible-to an extent. It is hard to the touch, but it is capable of expanding to accommodate increased food intake. Well, wild spiders almost never get obese, because their food intake is dependent on finding prey. But in captivity, the prey comes to them on a regular basis. And excess nutrients get stored in the spider's abdomen. Combine overfeeding with the ability to store nutrients, and the spiders become obese. I don't remember the exact method of nutrient storage offhand, I'll have to look it up. This decreases their ability to survive even a minor fall, mind you-and that ability isn't so great for terrestrial tarantulas in the first place, and it's worse for the larger spiders.

Oh yeah, check this article out-the largest ever set of intact specimens of a deep-sea crustacean were found recently: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46243225/ns ... z4_r_HeCMl

And we have successfully reconstructed what crickets sounded like in the Jurassic: http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/news/story.aspx?id=1149

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[Cassowary]

Would've commented sooner but couldn't get to the links for some reason.

That sounds bad. /wonders if she's overfeeding her guinea pig

Plasticy, huh? How odd. We really ought to explore the sea more. A lot of species down there are probably already extinct due to unseen pollution.

And the fossil cricket song is awesome. SCIENCE, it works.

I'm wondering whether I'm being too depreciating to bugs in regards to the doni thing. It seems like a lot of people do like them, but it's hard to tell if they'd actually pay for them.

[Piney]

I don't think a lot of people would pay for just plain bugs but some sort of mystical hybrid bug would be awesome. :O Kinda like how the mice this month wasn't just a mouse or a hummingbird but a hybrid that's so utterly cute.

[Cassowary]

I don't think a lot of people would pay for just plain bugs but some sort of mystical hybrid bug would be awesome. :O Kinda like how the mice this month wasn't just a mouse or a hummingbird but a hybrid that's so utterly cute.

*Thinks of potential hybrids*

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[DoomedDaphnia]

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I approve of this. Get on it.

[Padfootsmistress777]

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I approve of this. Get on it.

I second this

[Lazuli]

New Member!
Username: Lazuli
Favorite Invertebrate: Malaysian orchid mantis or meganeura

I probably wont be too active, but thought this could be fun.

[Byakugan01]

...isn't that a pun? Whatever, it's fun. How about a TIGER beetle? Part beetle, part tiger.

[Cassowary]

Yes, it's a pun. I love puns. I'm so punny, it hurts.

...

Hi Laz! Welcome to the club!

I will do tiger beetle once I pay attention to my guinea pig. She is being annoying.