| Spud McLaren
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| 720093. Wed Jun 16, 2010 10:33 am |
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I am far from being an expert on insects, so I have no astonishing facts or debunkings. I merely wish to state the opinion that this is a huge subject which must deserve an episode to itself.
Oh, go on then, just to start you off:
[Wiki] "Beetles are the largest order of organisms on earth, with about 350,000 species so far identified. The most massive species are the Goliathus, Megasoma and Titanus beetles. The longest species is the Hercules beetle, Dynastes hercules with a maximum overall length of at least 17 cm (7 in) including the very long pronotal horn." |
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| Jenny
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| 720220. Wed Jun 16, 2010 3:34 pm |
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I like this quotation from the biologist J B S Haldane on the subject of beetles, which I think would make an excellent signoff for a show on insects:
From the fact that there are 400,000 species of beetle on this planet, but only 8,000 species of mammals, he concluded that the Creator, if he exists, has a special preference for beetles, and so we might be more likely to meet them than any other type of animal on a planet which would support life.
This is quoted elsewhere as:
Haldane was engaged in discussion with an eminent theologian. 'What inference,' asked the latter, 'might one draw about the nature of God from a study of his works?' Haldane replied: 'An inordinate fondness for beetles.'
Source: http://www.todayinsci.com/H/Haldane_JBS/HaldaneJBS-Quotations.htm |
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| tetsabb
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| 720222. Wed Jun 16, 2010 3:44 pm |
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| Jenny wrote: | | .. he concluded that the Creator, if he exists, has a special preference for Beatles... |
But which -- John, Paul, or George? (Couldn't possibly have been Ringo, surely) |
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| Spud McLaren
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| 720284. Wed Jun 16, 2010 6:47 pm |
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| The misquoting thread is next door, tets. |
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| Droid
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| 805213. Tue Apr 12, 2011 6:30 am |
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I was flicking through a copy of 'Science of the sea' - an elementary handbook of practical oceanography for travellers, sailors and yachtsmen
prepared by the Challenger society for the promotion of the study of Oceanography
published in 1912, Edited by G. Herbert Fowler B.A., Ph.D., F.L.S., Etc Sometime assistant professor of Zoology University College, London.
It has a section on Insects. It consists of two lines of text, however it does name the Halobates as being marine insects.
I found this review of the biology of them from 1985. (Ann. Rev. Entemol. 1985 111-35 |
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| nicholasjwest
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| 807460. Tue Apr 19, 2011 6:41 pm |
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| I've never like anything with an exoskeleton, there's just something crunchy about it that sends shivers down my spine, but I remember that mosquitoes have caused more deaths than all world wars (thanks QI!), cockroaches can live for 9 days without a head (which still isn't beating a chicken) and that Australia imports dung beetles to cope with cow dung. |
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| Jenny
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| 807585. Wed Apr 20, 2011 9:24 am |
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| Dung beetles are extraordinarily important - there are medications (avermectins and milbemycins) that deal with parasites in cattle which kill off beetles - and in the areas where they are used, the dung just piles up... |
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| nicholasjwest
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| 807642. Wed Apr 20, 2011 11:26 am |
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| Quote: | | Dung beetles are extraordinarily important - there are medications (avermectins and milbemycins) that deal with parasites in cattle which kill off beetles - and in the areas where they are used, the dung just piles up... |
I recall our school used to have some dung-beetles, as a pet. They weren't very happy as I doubt they got much dung. They also died quite quickly as I recall. Such is life, but I was quite sad at the time. |
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| tetsabb
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| 814787. Mon May 09, 2011 12:44 pm |
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| nicholasjwest wrote: | | Quote: | | Dung beetles are extraordinarily important - there are medications (avermectins and milbemycins) that deal with parasites in cattle which kill off beetles - and in the areas where they are used, the dung just piles up... |
I recall our school used to have some dung-beetles, as a pet. They weren't very happy as I doubt they got much dung. They also died quite quickly as I recall. Such is life, but I was quite sad at the time. |
Sings #Life's a piece of shit, when you look at it#
Especially valid if you are a dung beetle, I guess. |
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| djgordy
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| 815061. Tue May 10, 2011 9:31 am |
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| nicholasjwest wrote: | | I've never like anything with an exoskeleton, there's just something crunchy about it that sends shivers down my spine, |
I've never liked anything with a spine. It sends shivers down my exoskeleton. |
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| Ainee
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| 815125. Tue May 10, 2011 1:40 pm |
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| LOL |
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| Prof Wind Up Merchant
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| 853842. Sat Oct 08, 2011 11:35 am |
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| You probably watched last night's insect eating antics (pardon the pun). Poor old Stephen getting into a tizzy over a chocolate covered ant. On a QI note he mentioned that due to the environmental impact of meat due to methane, we may have to resort to eating our creepy crawley friends to get our protein. What about beans and all that as well.
Last edited by Prof Wind Up Merchant on Sat Oct 08, 2011 12:54 pm; edited 1 time in total
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| mckeonj
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| 853845. Sat Oct 08, 2011 12:03 pm |
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Are the crunchy tasty crustaceae, shrimps, prawns, lobsters, etc. etc., related to woodlice and other creepy-crawlies; which most of us would call insects?
I think I would not eat spiders, though, whether or not they are insects. |
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| Prof Wind Up Merchant
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| 853982. Sun Oct 09, 2011 5:21 am |
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| Also Mr Fry mentioned about increased human population is putting strains in developing countries partly due to the scarcity of meat. |
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| mckeonj
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| 854015. Sun Oct 09, 2011 7:20 am |
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| Perhaps we should reconsider Jonathan Swift's 'Modest Proposal' |
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