Arthro-Pod

Latest Episodes:

Arthro-Pod EP 180: Arthropods of the Elder Scrolls Universe Jun 06, 2025

Show notes

Welcome back to Arthro-Pod! In this episode, Michael explores arthropods of the Elder Scrolls universe, including those featured in the games Arena, Daggerfall, Morrowind, Oblivion, Skyrim, and Elder Scrolls Online. Because this is such a visual episode, you can find show notes on the blog. Get the show through Apple Podcast, Spotify, or your favorite podcatching app! If you can spare a moment, we appreciate when you subscribe to the show on those apps or when you take time to leave a review! Older episodes can be accessed through Archive.org.

Arthro-Pod EP 179: Periodical Cicadas through History May 30, 2025

Show notes

Welcome back bug lovers! If you live in the US, specifically in about 12 different states in the east and midwest, you might be hearing the delightful songs of periodical cicadas. If you have ever wondered how these insects have been studied throughout the years or what they have meant historically, this is the podcast episode for you! Join Jody, Jonathan, and Michael as they go back through time and discuss periodical cicadas and Native American culture, what the pilgrims thought they were, and how the discovery of 13 and 17 year cicadas occurred. By the end, you might be tempted to climb a tree and scream just so you can join the chorus of history!

Get the show through Apple Podcast, Spotify, or your favorite podcatching app! If you can spare a moment, we appreciate when you subscribe to the show on those apps or when you take time to leave a review! Older episodes can be accessed through Archive.org.

Arthro-Pod EP 178: The Insect Abdomen May 13, 2025

Show notes

Greetings Arthro-Pod listeners! This week, Michael leads the Arthro-Pod team in a discussion about the abdomen. This is the latest in our series about the different parts of insects and other hexapods. Other episodes include

162: The Insect Head

144: Insect Wings

143: Insect Legs

130: Chew, Digest, Poop - How Insects Eat

While many might consider the abdomen to be a boring hotdog, we find out how there's actually a lot going on both inside and outside of the abdomen.

Arthro-Pod EP 177: Trial of the Honey Bee with Dr. Judy Wu-Smart Mar 31, 2025

Show notes

In this episode the hosts of Arthro-pod interview Dr. Judy Wu-Smart about the pros and cons of the European honey bees. The conversation touches on the historical context of honey bees in North America, the challenges of colony collapse disorder, the implications of neonicotinoids in agriculture, the impact of pesticides on pollinator health, and the regulatory challenges surrounding bee conservation. The discussion highlights the complex relationship between wild and managed bees, emphasizing the need for diverse pollinators in ecosystems.

Arthro-Pod EP 176: Yellow Fever and Walter Reed, part 2 Mar 21, 2025

Show notes

Greetings Arthro-Pod listeners! This week, Michael continues the story of Walter Reed and the discovery that yellow fever is transmitted by mosquitoes. Specifically, we talk about the major players on the Yellow Fever Board, the experiments they did with live human subjects, and how they determined that mosquitos, and not fomites, are how yellow fever infects each new victim.

Arthro-Pod EP 175: Yellow Fever and Walter Reed, part 1 Feb 28, 2025

Show notes

Greetings Arthro-Pod listeners! This week, Michael introduces us to yellow fever. Specifically, we cover the first major outbreak of the disease in the United States in Philadelphia in 1793 and the broader history of yellow fever in the United States through the 1800s. This sets the stage for the story of Walter Reed and his discovery that yellow fever is transmitted by mosquitoes, which quickly led it it's eradication from Cuba and elsewhere in the world.

We first discussed yellow fever in episodes 89 and 91, which can be found on Archive.org.

Questions? Comments?

Arthro-Pod EP 174 Multicolored Asian Lady Beetles are Real Ladybugs Feb 24, 2025

Show notes

Hello bug lovers! In this exciting edition of Arthro-Pod, Jody leads Mike and Jon through an episode entirely dedicated to the multicolored Asian lady beetle. It is known by many names, the multicolored lady bug, the Halloween beetle, and the fake ladybug amongst others. You may have seen them in your home just recently or been unlucky enough to feel their bite! In this episode, you'll learn how they appeared in the US, the other ways they can pose problems, and ponder the reasons why people would call a real member of the Coccinelidae a "fake lady beetle".

MALB spending the winter with Jody Green

Show Notes

Mike refers to Harmonia axyridis Wikipedia page to see variations: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmonia_axyridis

Bugguide: https://bugguide.net/node/view/397

Lost lady bug project: http://www.lostladybug.org/

Convergent lady beetle

Journal article about MALB and dogs after ingestion in Toxicon by Stocks and Lindsey 2008: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0041010108003395#fig1

A Review of Ladybug Taint in Wine: Origins, Prevention, and Remediation by Pickering and Botezau 2021 https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/14/4341

Journal article about MALB and seasonal allergens: Nakazawa et al. 2007 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091674906030235?via%3Dihub

Goetz 2008: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/5423147_Harmonia_axyridis_ladybug_invasion_and_allergy

Information about molecule, harmonine from Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Germany https://www.mpg.de/7246516/Asian-lady-beetles

Vacuum with pantyhose method: https://www.mypmp.net/2016/05/19/recommend-this-method-to-bed-bug-afflicted-clients/

MALB eggs
MALB larvae
MALB pupae Newly emerged MALB adult and pupal shell
Adult MALB going to town on some aphids

Questions? Comments?

Contact the show at jonathan.larson@uky.eduFind the hosts on social media:@bugmanjon and @napoleonicento on BlueSky
Get the show through Apple Podcast, Spotify, or your favorite podcatching app!If you can spare a moment, we appreciate when you subscribe to the show on those apps or when you take time to leave a review!

Arthro-Pod EP 173: Insect Farming with David Fluker Feb 05, 2025

Show notes

Hello bug lovers! Today's episode is a special treat as the Arthro-Pod gang is joined by David Fluker of Fluker Farms and Soldier Fly Technologies to talk about tending to crickets, soldier flies, and more. David is a second generation insect farmer and self proclaimed "ento-preneur", tune in to learn about the history of Fluker Farms, the live feeder insect industry, and what the future may hold for those who use insects as tiny livestock! We for one welcome the age of the solider fly!

Show Notes

Fluker's main website https://flukerfarms.com/
Soldier Fly Technologies website: https://www.soldierfly.com/
If you would like to access Fluker's teaching aids we wanted to highlight them here: https://flukerfarms.com/reptile-u/knowledge-base/teaching-aids/
Are you interested in joining the ranks of insect farming? Check out the North American Coalition for Insect Agriculture https://nacia.org/
Check out this tour of the farm via YouTube https://flukerfarms.com/tour-of-the-farm/

A vintage "I ate a Bug Club" button

Questions? Comments?

Get the show through Apple Podcast, Spotify, or your favorite podcatching app!If you can spare a moment, we appreciate when you subscribe to the show on those apps or when you take time to leave a review!

Arthro-Pod EP 172: Bugs, Maps, and Math with Jeff Holland Jan 10, 2025

Show notes

On this episode of Arthro-Pod, join Mike and Jon as they catch up with Jeff Holland of Bugs, Maps, and Math. Jeff was previously a professor at Purdue, where Mike worked in his lab for several semesters. While they catch up on good times, we also learn all about Jeff's insect consulting company, modeling of insect dispersal, and the sorcery of spatial ecology. Tune in!

Jeff Holland, formerly a professor at Purdue University and now the owner of Bugs, Maps, and Math consulting services.
Jeff and two of his graduate students, Hossam and Kapil, preparing for summer field collecting.

A longhorn beetle in a rearing cage.

Questions? Comments?

Get the show through Apple Podcast, Spotify, or your favorite podcatching app!If you can spare a moment, we appreciate when you subscribe to the show on those apps or when you take time to leave a review!

Arthro-Pod EP 171: Glittering, Golden, Insect Jewelry with Jennifer Gordon Dec 18, 2024

Show notes

Hello bug lovers! On today's episode of Arthro-Pod, the gang meets up with top tier guest Dr. Jennifer Gordon to learn about insects and their use in jewelry. Jennifer is an entomological consultant, her business is called Bug Lessons, but she also has a wonderful hobby of seeking out insect themed jewelry, particularly that of a Victorian vintage. Tune in and learn all about this fascinating cultural entomology topic as we learn about how pieces of insects may end up in jewelry, what insects symbolize when crafted this way, and how you too could hunt some down on your own!

Stick pin with Chrysomelid beetle carapace

Long broach of fly etched in wit cut glass

Moth with skull necklace in bronze/brass

Mother-in-law sterling handmade fly, received for Christmas

Jennifer-made lanternfly fancy Fulgorid necklace pendant

Jennifer-made Weta

Jennifer-made mosquito pendant

Jennifer-made termite, grasshopper, and ant pendant

Jennifer-made earwig earring

Jennifer-made mantis earrings

Jennifer-made made chunky ring with ant

Tie pin with small insect

Stick pin with fly

Bee from Sears in Kokomo Indiana

Cute little gold bee with Hosenthal

Midcentury bee jewelry

Questions? Comments?

Get the show through Apple Podcast, Spotify, or your favorite podcatching app!If you can spare a moment, we appreciate when you subscribe to the show on those apps or when you take time to leave a review!

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