Who’s that crunch-crunching on my leaves??? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Can plants sense danger before insects cause serious damage? Taylor Paret (TAY-ler puh-RET) and team at the University of Houston studied Arabidopsis thaliana (air-uh-DOP-sis thuh-lee-AY-nuh), a tiny mustard plant. They played recordings of
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Munch munch munch… Someday I will be a beautiful butterfly! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Caterpillars spend their days busily feasting, turning carbon-rich leaves into nitrogen-rich poo. This means less falling leaves and more caterpillar poop washing into nearby lakes. This can change the
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Was the Very Hungry Caterpillar also very TOXIC? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Caterpillars may look cute — but some have prickly protection! Take the painted cup moth caterpillar. It’s scientific name, Doratifera vulnerans, means “bearer of painful gifts” — and for good reason!
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When does the very HUNGRY caterpillar become very HANGRY? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Eating is a serious – and DANGEROUS – business! I WILL “cut you” for that last piece of Valentine’s candy! Do our creepy-crawly friends feel the same? Enter Joseph Collie
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Munch munch munch… Someday I will be a beautiful butterfly! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Caterpillars spend their days busily feasting, turning carbon-rich leaves into nitrogen-rich poo. This means less falling leaves and more caterpillar poop washing into nearby lakes. This can change the
Continue reading
Was the Very Hungry Caterpillar also very TOXIC? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Caterpillars may look cute — but some have prickly protection! Take the painted cup moth caterpillar. It’s scientific name, Doratifera vulnerans, means “bearer of painful gifts” — and for good reason!
Continue reading
When does the very HUNGRY caterpillar become very HANGRY? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Eating is a serious – and DANGEROUS – business! I WILL “cut you” for that last piece of Valentine’s candy! Do our creepy-crawly friends feel the same? Enter Joseph Collie
Continue reading
Sixth sense: fact or fiction? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Peppered moth caterpillars are found all over the world. But you’ve probably never seen one. Why? Because they’re REALLY good at hiding by changing their color! Meet Amy Eacock
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Are pests destroying your garden? Maybe you should just. . . move! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Biologists know there are more species of everything near the lush equator. Which means lots of plants — and animals to eat them, like hungry caterpillars! So
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Ughhh, what did I eat?. This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Caterpillars are cute, but not when they damage crops. Plants defend themselves by producing chemicals that attract wasps, a natural pest control. Wasps lay eggs in caterpillars, and hatchlings slowly eat the caterpillars from
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