The odorous house ant trail pheromone deposition Ant Lab 2026-09-20 | The odorous house ant trail pheromone deposition
Green June beetles in flight! #science #insects Ant Lab 2024-09-24 | Filmed in the lab at 6,000 frames per second by Nicolás Galvez
Springtails do the fastest backflip on earth! Ant Lab 2024-08-29 | I published new research describing how globular springtails jump! This video summarizes some of that work and shows all of the ways we filmed and visualized all the components of their jumps. The globular species we researched is Dicyrtomina minuta.Here are the peer-reviewed research papers that are featured in this video:Smith AA, Harrison JS. 2024 Jumping performance and behavior of the globular springtail Dicyrtomina minuta. Integrative Organismal Biology. doi: 10.1093/iob/obae029Oliveira FGL, Smith AA. 2024. A morphofunctional study of the jumping apparatus in globular springtails. Arthropod Structure and Development. 79: 101333. doi: 10.1016/j.asd.2024.101333If some of this video seems familiar, it is! I've been putting out springtail videos as these research projects have been happening in the lab. Here are the older springtail videos, some of which have shown this species and parts of the research before:youtu.be/HL5tLTkxuOIyoutu.be/MXeSnWY6DNcyoutu.be/Qu01EUeE5PM00:00 - What's a springtail?01:52 - takeoff03:24 - trajectory04:41 - landing05:52 - gee whiz, these things are coolmusic licensed from soundofpicture.com
Insect flipbooks! Ant Lab 2024-08-10 | 3 books featuring insects in flight! Available now for preorder via kickstarter or through our museum (NC museum of natural sciences) gift shop!
Scarab beetles in flight! #insects #entomology #science Ant Lab 2024-07-03 | 3 species of scarab beetles captured at 6,000 fps
Beetles in Flight with Joe Pera Ant Lab 2024-06-30 | 12 species across 10 families, narrated by Joe Pera!Check out Joe Pera on YouTube (links below). Also, have you seen his show "Joe Pera Talks with You"? It's one of the best TV shows ever. Seriously.Joe's stand up special: youtu.be/9_97zE4GRZk?si=5_ZrXTPTMGZSyk9NJoe's channel: youtube.com/@UCfBAKxelvdN2XDFBcofx7Dg 00:00 - grapevine beetle01:15 - oriental beetle02:15 - Japanese beetle02:38 - water scavenger beetle03:48 - picnic beetle04:17 - jewel beetle04:59 - tumbling flower beetle06:36 - tiger beetle07:13 - clay-colored leaf beetle08:16 - soldier, longhorn, & checkered beetlesTaxonomic infoGrapevine beetle - Pelidnota punctataOriental beetle - Anomala orientalisJapanese beetle - Popillia japonicaWater scavenger beetle – family HydrophilidaePicnic beetle – Glischrochilus fasciatusJewel beetle – Dicerca obscura (probably)Tumbling flower beetle – family MordellidaePunctured Tiger Beetle - Cicindelidia punctulateClay-colored leaf beetle - Anomoea laticlaviaTwo-lined leather-wing (soldier beetle) – Atalantycha bilineataFlat oak borer (longhorn beetle) – Smodicum cucujiformeCheckered beetle – family CleridaeStill images from Matt Bertone and Nicolás GalvezTumbling flower beetle SEM image from: Rueter, M. (1995). Studies on the functional morphology of the jump in tumbling flower beetles (Coleoptera, Mordellidae). Acta Biologica Bendrodis 7, 99-133.Music licensed from soundofpicture.com
Firefly - Lightning Bug in Slow Motion! #science #insects Ant Lab 2024-06-25 | The common eastern firefly filmed in-flight at 3,200 frames per second!
Fleas - eggs, larvae, and adults! #science #insects Ant Lab 2024-06-05 | The life stages and movement strategies of cat fleas
Ive never seen a FLEA move like this! Ant Lab 2024-05-02 | I filmed and studied larval locomotion of the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis), as well as some slow-motion (6k-20k fps) jumps of the adults too! Plus, there's some cool (gross?) footage I managed to capture of cat flea larvae hatching from eggs in here too.Music licensed from soundofpicture.com00:00 - why am i filming fleas?!00:41 - fleas jumping in slomo01:59 - you can order fleas?!02:40 - flea eggs hatching!03:21 - larval locomotion research04:56 - SEMs of larval fleas05:39 - how fast do larval fleas go?06:29 - larval fleas in carpet06:47 - end, bonus footage
The most scientifically-famous moth! #entomology #moths Ant Lab 2024-02-15 | The story of the peppered moth (Biston betularia), seen here in flight, is one of our earliest observed examples of natural selection in action!
North Americas biggest moth! #entomology #moths Ant Lab 2024-02-04 | Cecropia moth filmed in action, at 6,000 fps!
Cecropia Moth + 9 Moths in Slow Motion! Ant Lab 2024-02-02 | 9 moths species + 1 caddisfly captured in slow motion flight! All of these insects were filmed at 6,000fps and what you are seeing is being played back at 30fps.00:00 - Cecropia moth, Hyalophora cecropia - family Saturniidae01:25 - Plume moth – family Pterophoridae02:13 - Red-bordered Emerald, Nemoria lixaria – family Geometridae 02:57 - One-spotted Variant, Hypagyrtis unipunctata - family Geometridae03:31 - Pepper & Salt Geometer or Peppered moth, Biston betularia - family Geometridae04:47 - Ailanthus Webworm Moth, Atteva aurea - family Attevidae 05:28 - Black-dotted Spragueia Moth, Spragueia onagrus - family Noctuidae05:52 - The Hebrew, Polygrammate hebraeicum - family Noctuidae06:17 - White Miller Caddisfly, Nectopsyche sp. - order Trichoptera (not a moth)06:43 - Arched Hooktip, Drepana arcuata – family DrepanidaeStill image credits:Cecropia moth caterpillar – Michael Hodge CC BYGeometrid inchworm – Dr. Matt Bertone Flickr (used with permission)Peppered moth (white) – Tim Alps Flickr CC BYPeppered moth (melanic) – Ben Sale Flickr CC BYPeppered moth (melanic) - Jerzy Strzelecki Wikimedia CC BYThe Hebrew - Dr. Matt Bertone Flickr (used with permission)Arched Hooktip - Dr. Matt Bertone Flickr (used with permission)Matt Bertone’s Flickr: flickr.com/photos/76790273@N07Recommended reading for more about natural selection of the peppered moth:Cook L. M., Grant B. S., Saccheri I. J. and Mallet J. 2012. Selective bird predation on the peppered moth: the last experiment of Michael Majerus. Biology Letters 8: 609–612. DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2011.1136Music licensed from soundofpicture.com
This rove beetle uses a sticky harpoon! #insects #insectadventures #bug #animals #nature Ant Lab 2023-12-13 | Stenus rove beetles have a mouthpart that works like a sticky harpoon! They mostly use it to hunt their favorite prey: springtails. I was excited to finally find and film one this past summer!
This beetle hunts with a sticky harpoon! Ant Lab 2023-12-05 | I finally found and filmed a Stenus beetle! These rove beetles are famous for hunting springtails by using a projectile mouthpart (a modified labium) with sticky pads at the end. I collected the individual in this video in Crossnore, NC in August of 2023. Long time Ant Lab collaborator Dr. Matt Bertone helped me find it and he took the still images you see of it in this video! follow him on X/Twitter @/BertonemyiaSEM image of sticky pads is from:Koerner, L., Gorb, S. N., Betz, O. (2012) Adhesive performance of the stick-capture apparatus of rove beetles of the genus Stenus (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae) toward various surfaces. Journal of Insect Physiology 58: 155-163Image of surface skimming is from:Lang, C., Seifert, K., Dettner, K. (2012) Skimming behaviour and spreading potential of Stenus species and Dianous coerulescens (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae). Naturwissenschaften 99: 937-947Music licensed from soundofpicture.com
Most wasps arent this... Ant Lab 2023-11-16 | A bald-faced hornet, an Acrotaphus wasp, an aulacid wasp, and a wood wasp all filmed at 6,000 frames per second.
Wasps emerging from a caterpillar! Ant Lab 2023-10-27 | My friend Michelle, a producer @SciNC, brought me a parasitized tobacco hornworm caterpillar. We set out to capture the moment that the parasitic wasps emerge from their host!
3 Amazing Flies in Flight! Ant Lab 2023-09-25 | Stink fly or cheese fly - Coenomyia ferruginea, 6,000fpsNon-biting midge - Family – Chironomidae, Chironomus, 6,000fpsBlack Onion Fly - Tritoxa flexa, 6,000fps
Filming this changed how I see WASPS! Ant Lab 2023-09-13 | Wasps are more amazing than I realized! Flight sequences were all captured by filming at 6,000fps.Bald-faced hornet – Dolichovespula maculataBraconid wasp – subfamily BraconinaeTobacco Hornworm Parasitoid - Cotesia congregataSawfly – Macrophya sp.Wood Wasp - Xiphydria maculataAulacid wasp – Aulacus sp.Ichneumonid wasp 1 – Acrotaphus wiltiiIchneumonid wasp 2 – Trogus sp.Wingless jumping parasitoid - Lelaps argenticoxa00:00 - bald-faced hornet00:32 - Braconid wasp00:55 - tobacco Hornworm parasitoid01:48 - sawfly02:19 - wood wasp02:39 - Aulacid wasp03:16 - hamuli03:39 - Ichneumonid wasps04:33 - wingless jumping parasitoidSpecial thanks to Dr. Matt Bertone for use of his still images and assistance collecting and IDing these species! Check out his photography here: flickr.com/photos/76790273@N07Thanks also to Michelle Lotker for sharing that parasitized caterpillar, and BugGuide user Skitterbug for uploading those spider pictures with a CC:BY license.Music licensed from SoundOfPicture.com
The Weirdest Insect Ive Ever Filmed! BAT FLY Ant Lab 2023-08-12 | Wow, bat flies are bizarre creatures!I went out to find one of these extraordinary ectoparasitic insects with my museum colleague, Lisa Gatens (naturalsciences.org/staff/lisa-gatens), as she was trapping and banding bats in the North Carolina's Coastal Plain. The bat fly in this video was collected off of a Southeastern myotis (Myotis austroriparius) bat and is likely the bat fly species Basilia boardmani within the Nycteribiidae family of flies (will update if I get a confirmed species ID).Music from soundofpicture.com
15 Flies Captured in Flight | Slow Motion! Ant Lab 2023-06-13 | Flies are amazingly diverse group of insects! To show off some of that diversity, here are 15 species around where I live in Raleigh, NC flying in slow motion. Special thanks to Matt Bertone for his still photography and help with specimen identification. Follow him here: twitter.com/Bertonemyia00:00 - house fly00:26 - cheese fly01:12 - blow fly01:33 - robber fly01:54 - thick-headed fly02:15 - crane fly02:35 - non-biting midge02:55 - gall midge03:37 - hover fly04:04 - soldier fly04:22 - fungus gnat04:44 - dark-winged fungus gnat05:10 - lauxaniid fly05:26 - picture-winged fly05:46 - black onion FlyScientific names & frames per second captured:House fly – Musca domestica, 8,000fpsStink fly or cheese fly - Coenomyia ferruginea, 6,000fpsBlow fly – Lucilia sp., 6,000fpsRobber fly – Cerotainia macrocera, 6,000fpsThick-headed fly – Zodion sp., 3,200fpsCrane fly - Tipula sp., 6,000fpsNon-biting midge - Family – Chironomidae, Chironomus, 6,000fpsGall Midge - Family Cecidomyiidae, 6,000fps Gall midge larva – Camptomyia sp., 6,000fpsHover fly – Family – Syrphidae: Syrphinae, 6,000fpsYellow soldier fly/ compost fly – Ptecticus trivittatus, 6,000fpsFungus gnat, Mycetophilidae, 6,000fpsDark-winged Fungus Gnat - Odontosciara nigra, 4,000fpsLauxaniid fly – Minettia sp., 6,000fpsPicture-winged fly – Pseudotephritis vau, 6,000fpsBlack Onion Fly - Tritoxa flexa, 6,000fpsMusic by soundofpicture.com
How click beetles work - small-eyed click beetle Ant Lab 2023-05-22 | small-eyed or blind click beetle jumping in slow motion
Rare Ants Discovered in the Tree Canopy! Ant Lab 2023-05-15 | I went out in the field with ant biologist Michelle Kirchner to see how she studies ants in the tree canopy and learn about the science that she does. I love making these types of researcher profile videos! Soon, her work describing the re-discovery of Aphaenogaster mariae living in the temperate forest tree canopies in North Carolina will be out in-print.Follow Michelle here: twitter.com/mkirchner_antsMusic by soundofpicture
Springtails Secret Trick For Jumping On Water Ant Lab 2023-03-02 | New research found that semi-aquatic springtails use their ventral tube or collophore to hold a droplet of water during their spring-loaded jumps. This droplet aids in their mid-air positioning and landing, sticking them back to the water surface.Check out the original research paper here: doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2211283119https://research.gatech.edu/secret-skillful-skydiving-wingless-springtailsThanks to the Bhamla Lab at Georgia Tech: https://bhamla.gatech.edu/and to the first author of this research Dr. Victor Ortega-Jimenez at University of Maine: https://sbe.umaine.edu/victor-ortega-jimenez/Music by SoundofPicture.com
Antlions - amazing insect predators Ant Lab 2023-01-19 | Some insects, like antlions, have all the fun while still in their larval stage. You can find the long-form video of this on the channel, you just have to dig a little as it is from back in 2018!
Fire ant bite and sting up-close! Ant Lab 2023-01-03 | Here's what it looks like, up-close and in slow-motion, when an ant bites and stings you!
Amazing Earwig Wings in Action! Ant Lab 2022-12-02 | Earwigs and 10 other insect species captured flying in slow motion at 6,000 frames per second.00:00 - Shore earwig - Labidura riparia01:47 - Tree cricket – Oecanthus sp.02:12 - Northern Caddisfly – family Limnephilidae02:39 - Giant Casemaker Caddisfly – family Phryganeidae03:00 - Oak Treehopper - Platycotis vittate03:15 - green Treehopper - Archasia belfragei04:05 - wheel bug - Arilus cristatus04:47 - Hairy-eyed Crane Fly – Pedicia sp.05:25 - Yellow-collared Scape Moth - Cisseps fulvicollis05:59 - Roadside Sallow Moth - Metaxaglaea viatical06:33 - Brachonid wasp – subfamily CheloninaeDiagram of earwig wing folding is modified from: Haas, Gorb, & Wootton. 2000. Elastic joints in dermapteran hind wings: materials and wing folding. Arthropod Structure & Development, 29: 2, 137-146.Music licensed from soundofpicture.com
Millipede hunting w/ Dr. Derek Hennen, millipede expert! Ant Lab 2022-10-14 | Go in the field and behind-the-scenes at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences for an up-close look at millipedes with a millipede expert, Dr. Derek Hennen!Follow Derek here: twitter.com/derekhennen& here: twitter.com/DearMillipedeCheck out his "Millipedes of Ohio Field Guide": ohiodnr.gov/static/documents/wildlife/backyard-wildlife/Millipedes+of+Ohio+Pub+5527.pdfPhoto of Dr. Rowland Shelly by Melissa McGaw from the article “Dr. Millipede” which was published in Wildlfie in North Carolina, May 1996 issue.Music licensed from soundofpicture.com
Moths & Beetles in Flight! 6k fps Ant Lab 2022-08-24 | 12 species of moths & beetles filmed in-flight at 6,000 frames per second! Playback rate on these sequences is varied throughout the video.Still images of banded tussock moth & larviform glowworm beetle by Matt Bertone: flickr.com/photos/76790273@N07twitter.com/bertonemyiaFeaturing:00:00 - virgin tiger moth01:00 - Clymene moth01:26 - banded tussock moth01:55 - Luna moth02:16 - Polyphemus moth02:57 - waved sphinx moth03:29 - small-eyed sphinx moth04:01 - glowworm beetle04:53 - giant diving beetle05:41 - longhorn alder borer beetle06:09 - flower longhorn beetle06:32 - long-necked ground beetleTaxonomic IDs- virgin tiger moth, Apantesis virgo- Clymene moth, Haploa clymene- banded tussock moth, Halysdiota tessellaris- Luna moth, Actias luna- Polyphemus moth, Antheraea polyphemus- waved sphinx, Ceratomia undulosa- small-eyed sphinx, Paonias mypos- glowworm beetle, Phengodes sp.- giant diving beetle, Cybister sp.- Alder borer, Saperda obliqua- Flower Longhorn Beetle, Judolia cordifera- Long-necked ground beetle, Colliuris sp. Music licensed from soundofpicture.com
Snapping Shrimp Attacks at 11,000 fps - CAVITATION BUBBLES! Ant Lab 2022-08-03 | Slow motion sequences of snapping shrimp and mantis shrimp strikes that produce cavitation bubbles. All slow motion sequences captured at 10,863. Playback frame rates of those sequences are varied throughout this video.Featured snapping shrimp species: Alpheus heterochaelisFeatured mantis shrimp species: Gonodactylaceus falcatusSee more about mantis shrimp research here: youtu.be/kmTVIL0wv94These organisms were filmed in the Patek Lab at Duke University. Read more about their research here and connect with them here:https://pateklab.biology.duke.edu/twitter.com/patek_labMusic licensed from soundofpicture.com
Baby Mantis Shrimp Strikes Captured in Slow Motion Ant Lab 2022-07-01 | A behind the scenes look at how the ultra-fast strikes of larval mantis shrimp are filmed and studied! Dr. Jacob Harrison took me to the Patek Lab at Duke University to show me how he does his research on these ocean predators and share with me some of what he's discovered.Read more about Jacob's larval mantis shrimp research here: doi.org/10.1242/jeb.235465Follow him here:twitter.com/_JacobSHarrisonRead more about Prof. S.N. Patek's lab and research here:https://pateklab.biology.duke.edu/Read more about Prof. Megan Porter's research here:https://manoa.hawaii.edu/biology/people/megan-porterPeacock mantis shrimp footage via CC Flickr: flickr.com/photos/jphotosMusic licensed from soundofpicture.com
Timelapses of Cockroach Egg Cases Hatching! Ant Lab 2022-06-02 | I captured up-close macro timelapse sequences of cockroach egg cases hatching and roach nymphs emerging! I think it's both amazing and squirm-inducing footage! Featured here are an American cockroach (Periplaneta americana) and a German cockroach (Blattella germanica).Check out the other Ant Lab cockroach video, about how adult roaches jump here: youtu.be/bnPWU-mqGL8Thanks to Prof. Coby Schal & Rick Rick Santangelo for supplying the roaches! Thanks to Nicolás Galvez for assistance on this project.Music licensed from soundofpicture.com
The Extremely Fast Animals in Your Yard - Springtails Ant Lab 2022-05-05 | Collembola (commonly called springtails) are the smallest, fastest, and most common arthropods living in the soil, right in your backyard. I've been working on describing there super-fast jumps, filming them up-close and in ultra slow motion! The elongate-bodied/slender springtail (family: Entomobryidae) in the beginning and throughout the video is (probably) in the genus Homidia. The globular springtail (family: Dicyrtomidae) is (probably) in the genus Dicyrtomina. But, the specimens need to be evaluated by a taxonomic expert for an accurate species ID.Thanks to vision research for letting me demo this camera: phantomhighspeed.com/products/cameras/tmx/7510Check out the other 2 springtail research videos on this channel:youtu.be/MXeSnWY6DNcyoutu.be/Qu01EUeE5PMMusic licensed from soundofpicture.com
