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Bugs Need Heroes Podcast @bugsneedheroes.bsky.social · 9d

Amanda leads an episode about the history of silkworms and how they changed the world!

Topic discussion begins around 7:10

Silk moth creative commons Wikipedia.

#silkmoth #entomology #sciencepodcast #scicomm #

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Bugs Need Heroes Podcast @bugsneedheroes.bsky.social · 14d

You were an awesome guest! Thank you for educating us on these incredibly badass bugs! Absolutely fascinating. ❤️🧟‍♀️

Bugs Need Heroes Podcast @bugsneedheroes.bsky.social · 14d

The name is deceptive because only the males have wings and they only have hours to use them to turn wasps into zombies! These rare insects have a strange life history as parasitoids. Keep an eye out around goldenrod flowers and you might see an infected wasp! If you do tag #TeamWasp on your socials

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Bugs Need Heroes Podcast @bugsneedheroes.bsky.social · 14d

This episode Amanda and Kelly discuss twisted-wing insects (Strepsiptera) with Dr Floria Mora-Kepfer Uy an assistant professor at the University of Rochester and a Levinson/Shapiro faculty scholar. @avispatica.bsky.social

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Bugs Need Heroes Podcast @bugsneedheroes.bsky.social · Sep 1

Thank you, Floria!! We absolutely loved having you on as a guest and can't wait to publish the episode in the next two weeks. 🪰❤️

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Bugs Need Heroes Podcast @bugsneedheroes.bsky.social · Sep 1

This episode Amanda and Kelly discuss mud daubers. These wasps use mud to build their nests and fill those nests with paralyzed spiders, which is a very sexy behavior. Tangents include dinosaurs, the morals of relative television, Earthworm Jim, Amanda's crochet tips.
Bug discussion begins at 5:20

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Bugs Need Heroes Podcast @bugsneedheroes.bsky.social · Aug 23

This episode we are joined by Dr Scott Kight once again to talk about Belostomatidae. We initially planned to do this topic around Father's Day for reasons that will become apparent. Tangents include bears, science teachers, and that Coldplay concert.

Photo attributed to Frank Vassen from Wikipedia

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Bugs Need Heroes Podcast @bugsneedheroes.bsky.social · Jul 27

Very cool! These guys are nocturnal and difficult to find (they are wandering ground spiders). Most often folks find their eggsacs (the fairy lamps) and not the adult spiders. There are around 50 eggs in that whimsical eggsac. The spdier will eventually cover the lamp with mud to protect the eggs.

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Bugs Need Heroes Podcast @bugsneedheroes.bsky.social · Jul 24

We are always looking for entomologists, researchers, curators, etc. to come on the podcast! Even bug-adjacent (we've covered bats and cats before) if you are passionate about you study critter send us an e-mail at [email protected] to come chat on the pod!

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Bugs Need Heroes Podcast @bugsneedheroes.bsky.social · Jul 24

New episode! X-Mantis (Manitdae)! This episode contains discussion of sexual cannibalism as we discuss the classic mantis and how they are centaurs. Tangents include eagles, ninjas, and Amanda's art tips. #entomology #scicomm #sciencepodcast

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Bugs Need Heroes Podcast @bugsneedheroes.bsky.social · Jun 24

Kelly & Amanda continue wet bug summer with another true bug. These hemipterans have conquered the water surface of ponds, streams, rivers, lakes, and even the open ocean. Tangents include pokemon, New Jersey, doctor parties, mantis shrimps and some of our past chars. Amanda almost eats a spider.

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Bugs Need Heroes Podcast @bugsneedheroes.bsky.social · Jun 9

While most are beneficial, there is a deadly exception! Tangents include Naruto ninjas, Elizabeth Wheatley, and Detective Comics Comics' character Ambush Bug.

Photos by our buddy Kevin Wiener

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Bugs Need Heroes Podcast @bugsneedheroes.bsky.social · Jun 9

This episode we discuss the #Reduviidae family, colloquially known as assassin bugs. There are many different kinds and all of them are cunning hunters that turn their prey into Capri Suns and some turn them into fashion. ⬇️

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Bugs Need Heroes Podcast @bugsneedheroes.bsky.social · May 26

Just kidding! This beetle makes an incredible escape after being consumed by a frog. Video here: youtu.be/_W0UJD_i3Mo

A water beetle swallowed alive by a frog escapes through the butt | Science News

YouTube video by Science News

youtu.be

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Bugs Need Heroes Podcast @bugsneedheroes.bsky.social · May 26

This week's episode is about a fairly unremarkable aquatic beetle. Tangents include AI generated images, Chris Angel, Hugh Jackman, and horror novels. Includes spoilers for The Prestige. #scicomm #sciencepodcast #entomology

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Bugs Need Heroes Podcast @bugsneedheroes.bsky.social · May 23

Check out our very own co-host Kelly on Bradon's entomology education podcast Lil Dudes Insect Academy!

Dr. Kelly I. Zimmerman @fillsyourniche.bsky.social · May 23

A big thank you to Bradon, of Lil Dudes Insect Academy, for having me on to chat about mosquitoes, why I think they are amazing, and the process of getting a Ph.D. Here's a link to the pod on Apple, but it's also on Spotify, YouTube and wherever you get podcasts!

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1...

121. Why Mosquitoes are super cool (feat. Dr. Kelly Zimmerman)

Podcast Episode · Lil Dudes Insect Academy · 05/21/2025 · 55m

podcasts.apple.com

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Bugs Need Heroes Podcast @bugsneedheroes.bsky.social · May 23

If I do I will definitely PM you!

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Bugs Need Heroes Podcast @bugsneedheroes.bsky.social · May 22

Amanda and Kelly loved this cross-pollination so much! Thanks for having them on, it was a total blast (and we all look adorable)!

Plants Always Win Podcast @plantsalwayswin.com · Apr 8

We cross-pollinated our gardening podcast with @bugsneedheroes.bsky.social, where an entomologist and an illustrator create bug-based superheroes. The result? Lots of laughter, a scoop of science, and a new squad of garden defenders.
www.plantsalwayswin.com/.../ep-17-pl...

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Bugs Need Heroes Podcast @bugsneedheroes.bsky.social · May 22

Kelly has now become Dr Kelly @fillsyourniche.bsky.social . Much of the episode is about the process of earning a doctorate. The rest of the episode is devoted to discussion of fruit flies, art history, swords, and friend of the pod, Dr Ped.

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Bugs Need Heroes Podcast @bugsneedheroes.bsky.social · May 22

Kelly here - omg thank you! I could not believe Derek and Amanda sent me a sword! I absolutely love it and the wonderful thought behind it. Finland sounds awesome, I'd love to visit some day.

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Bugs Need Heroes Podcast @bugsneedheroes.bsky.social · Feb 7

This episode we are joined by another bug hero: Dr Emily Durkin! We talk about her research looking at tiny mites that ride around on fruit flies. Tangents: mosquitoes, hornworms, pets, and jumping spiders! Check out how cute her dog Pfeffer is!

Follow Emily here on Blue Sky @miteymle.bsky.social

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Bugs Need Heroes Podcast @bugsneedheroes.bsky.social · Dec 24

Burying beetle image public domain from USGS.
Tangents include tattoos, cats (always!), scale insects, coyotes, and what it's like not being an entomologist.

Zillah's art: www.instagram.com/zillahsmith/

There Will Be Bugs: www.instagram.com/there_will_b...

Zillah's website: www.zillahsmith.com

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Welcome back to Instagram. Sign in to check out what your friends, family & interests have been capturing & sharing around the world.

www.instagram.com

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Bugs Need Heroes Podcast @bugsneedheroes.bsky.social · Dec 24

This time we are joined by Ben Knowlton and Zillah Smith of There Will Be Bugs Podcast to talk about one of their favorite bugs, the American Burying Beetle (Nicrophorus americanus). These beetles have it all: battles, mites, an endangered species listing. But most importantly they have each other.

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Bugs Need Heroes Podcast @bugsneedheroes.bsky.social · Dec 14

Kelly and Producer Derek are back from the ESA conference in Pheonix and Kelly shares some stories. Not a bug, but the evolutionary arms race between scorpions and their predators has created a truly terrific terror. Tangents: butterflies,Disney, and vikings.
(Image credit: Minden Pictures/Alamy)

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Bugs Need Heroes Podcast @bugsneedheroes.bsky.social · Nov 27

This female Pseudomethoca sp. is a real beauty! Thanks to Kevin Wiener of All Bugs Go to kevin (FB page) for the photo.

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