Bugs Need Heroes

Painbow (MANTIS SHRIMP w/ Just The Zoo of Us)

It's a rambunctious episode as Just the Zoo of Us Podcast host Ellen Weatherford joins us to settle a debate: are shrimps bugs? Are mantis shrimps shrimps? We discuss how they may or may not be turning into crabs and what they might think of sunsets. Tangents include Godzilla, weddings, pet store stories, internet memes, Sailor Moon and anime translations.
 
Kelly's Field Notes for this episode: https://www.bugsneedheroes.com/episodes/the-painbow
 
Also Mentioned in This Episode:
Ellen Weatherford's podcast Just the Zoo of Us
Episode 101 (Mantis Shrimp with Alice Chou) of Just the Zoo of Us 
Episode 19 (Quokka and Peacock Mantis Shrimp) of Just the Zoo of Us
Episode 226 (Cicadas with Nick VanAcker) of Just the Zoo of Us
Episode 91 (Periodical Cicadas and Portuguese Man of War) of Just the Zoo of Us
RadioLab "Colors" episode
The Oatmeal: "Why the Mantis Shrimp is My New Favorite Animal"
 
Send us questions and suggestions! BugsNeedHeroes@gmail.com
Join us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bugsneedheroes/
Join us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bugsneedheroes
Join us on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/BugsNeedHeroes
Hosted by Amanda Niday and Kelly Zimmerman with editing by Derek Conrad with assistance from Chelsey Bawden
Created by Derek Conrad and Kelly Zimmerman.
Character artwork by Amanda Niday.
Music is Ladybug Castle by Rolemusic.

BONUS: Don't freak out about Joro Spiders

Remain calm.
 
Send us questions and suggestions! BugsNeedHeroes@gmail.com
Join us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bugsneedheroes/
Join us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bugsneedheroes
Join us on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/BugsNeedHeroes
Hosted by Amanda Niday and Kelly Zimmerman with editing by Derek Conrad with assistance from Chelsey Bawden
Created by Derek Conrad and Kelly Zimmerman.
Character artwork by Amanda Niday.
Music is Ladybug Castle by Rolemusic.

The Dash (TIGER BEETLES)

This week Kelly and Amanda talk about an extremely buggy bug. Is this best bug? Maybe! Tangents include why chess sucks, scrub jays, and spoilers for The Menu.
 
Kelly's Field Notes for this episode: https://www.bugsneedheroes.com/episodes/the-dash
 
Send us questions and suggestions! BugsNeedHeroes@gmail.com
Join us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bugsneedheroes/
Join us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bugsneedheroes
Join us on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/BugsNeedHeroes
Hosted by Amanda Niday and Kelly Zimmerman with editing by Derek Conrad with assistance from Chelsey Bawden
Created by Derek Conrad and Kelly Zimmerman.
Character artwork by Amanda Niday.
Music is Ladybug Castle by Rolemusic.

Marquis de Beetle (BLISTER BEETLES)

Content Warning for the episode: discussion of adult topics, including sexual assault and BDSM.
This week Amanda and Kelly discuss a weird group of beetles and its unusual life history and its role in history as a supposed aphrodisiac. Although we mostly focus on the Oil Beetles (Meloe genus), we also talk about some other blister beetles including spanish fly (Lytta vesicatoria). Tangents include juicy spiders, the aristocracy, Strong Bad, and historical dress.
 
Kelly's Field Notes: https://www.bugsneedheroes.com/episodes/marquis-de-beetle
Send us questions and suggestions! BugsNeedHeroes@gmail.com
Join us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bugsneedheroes/
Join us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bugsneedheroes
Join us on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/BugsNeedHeroes
Hosted by Amanda Niday and Kelly Zimmerman with editing by Derek Conrad with assistance from Chelsey Bawden
Created by Derek Conrad and Kelly Zimmerman.
Character artwork by Amanda Niday.
Music is Ladybug Castle by Rolemusic.

Pepper and the Pollution Solution (PEPPERED MOTHS)

While this moth itself isn't very impressive, it has had an interesting story coinciding with the industrial revolution and the theory of evolution. Kelly discusses genetics and industrial melanism. Amanda discusses dinosaurs and dancing. 
 
We recorded video for this episode and a portion of it is on youtube if you want to see pictures of the moths: https://youtu.be/c5pgfBdBCBk
 
Kelly's Field Notes: https://www.bugsneedheroes.com/episodes/pepper-and-the-pollution-solution
Send us questions and suggestions! BugsNeedHeroes@gmail.com
Join us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bugsneedheroes/
Join us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bugsneedheroes
Join us on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/BugsNeedHeroes
Hosted by Amanda Niday and Kelly Zimmerman with editing by Derek Conrad with assistance from Chelsey Bawden
Created by Derek Conrad and Kelly Zimmerman.
Character artwork by Amanda Niday.
Music is Ladybug Castle by Rolemusic.

Delay

The Underground Musician (MOLE CRICKETS)

Another cute bug this week! Mole crickets live in the soil and build musical instruments to augment their melodies. Tangents include Disney movies, exploding whales, marching band energy. And Kelly still hasn't seen A Bug's Life.
 
Kelly's field notes and Amanda's artwork: https://www.bugsneedheroes.com/episodes/underground-musician
 
The KATU News footage of the exploding whale in Florence, Oregon 1970: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6CLumsir34
 
Listen to a recording of the Northern Mole Cricket (Neocurtilla hexadactyla) on the Singing Insects of North America (SINA) webpage: https://orthsoc.org/sina/351a.htm
 
Send us questions and suggestions! BugsNeedHeroes@gmail.com
Join us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bugsneedheroes/
Join us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bugsneedheroes
Join us on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/BugsNeedHeroes
Hosted by Amanda Niday and Kelly Zimmerman with editing by Derek Conrad with assistance from Chelsey Bawden
Created by Derek Conrad and Kelly Zimmerman.
Character artwork by Amanda Niday.
Music is Ladybug Castle by Rolemusic.

Sweater-Eater Lad (CARPET BEETLES and other DERMESTIDS)

On this week's episode, we talk about the spring-time sensation: carpet beetles! We also discuss how their cousins in the Dermestidae family are used in taxidermy and forensic entomology. We contrast the amazing eating abilities of carpet beetles with some of the misfits of DC Comics' Legion of Super-Heroes. Tangents in this episode dogs (both good and hot), being too hot, having long hair, and the genre of True Crime. Also in this episode, an unexpected visitor!
 
Kelly's field notes and Amanda's artwork: https://www.bugsneedheroes.com/episodes/sweater-eater-lad
 
Carpet Beetle takes flight: https://imgur.com/a/O5zSKbA
 
Send us questions and suggestions! BugsNeedHeroes@gmail.com
Join us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bugsneedheroes/
Join us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bugsneedheroes
Join us on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/BugsNeedHeroes
Hosted by Amanda Niday and Kelly Zimmerman with editing by Derek Conrad with assistance from Chelsey Bawden
Created by Derek Conrad and Kelly Zimmerman.
Character artwork by Amanda Niday.
Music is Ladybug Castle by Rolemusic.

Cicadapocalypse with Roger McMullan (PERIODICAL CICADAS)

This week Amanda and Kelly are joined by Roger McMullan to talk about periodical Cicadas and his graphic novel about them. Amanda has never seen a cicada. We talk about predator satiation, brooding, and the ever-present desire to scream. Tangents include road trips, lantern flies, eating bugs.
Mentioned in the episode:Roger's graphic novel: https://mcmullanhouse.org/portfolio/cicadapocalypse/
 
Cicada ID app: https://www.cicadasafari.org/
 
"Singing Sushi" Recipe: https://www.montclair.edu/newscenter/2021/05/19/cicadas-safe-to-eat-sustainable-delicious-recipes/
 
Edible Insect Ambassadors, Brooklyn Bugs: https://www.brooklynbugs.com/
 
NPR story about the 2024 double emergence: https://www.npr.org/2024/01/21/1225925053/billions-of-cicadas-will-buzz-this-spring-as-two-broods-emerge-at-the-same-time
 
Send us questions and suggestions! BugsNeedHeroes@gmail.com
Join us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bugsneedheroes/
Join us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bugsneedheroes
Join us on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/BugsNeedHeroes
Hosted by Amanda Niday and Kelly Zimmerman with editing by Derek Conrad with assistance from Chelsey Bawden
Created by Derek Conrad and Kelly Zimmerman.
Character artwork by Amanda Niday.
Music is Ladybug Castle by Rolemusic.

Dr. M Grampus (VINEGAROONS aka WHIP SCORPIONS)

This episode we discuss an adventurous arachnid with a powerful presence and a tender heart. Tangents include cookies, the films of George Lucas, and the parietal eye of some almost-lizards.
 
Kelly's field notes and Amanda's artwork:  https://www.bugsneedheroes.com/episodes/dr-m-grampus
 
Arachnid poaching was mentioned in this podcast.
Watch them dig in All Bugs Go To Kevin!
 
Huge thanks to Bailey Russell for sharing their knowledge and passion for these bugs!
 
Send us questions and suggestions! BugsNeedHeroes@gmail.com
Join us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bugsneedheroes/
Join us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bugsneedheroes
Join us on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/BugsNeedHeroes
Hosted by Amanda Niday and Kelly Zimmerman with editing by Derek Conrad with assistance from Chelsey Bawden
Created by Derek Conrad and Kelly Zimmerman.
Character artwork by Amanda Niday.
Music is Ladybug Castle by Rolemusic.