In this episode of Arthropod, hosts Jody Green and Michael Skvarla discuss the importance of beneficial insects in gardening, emphasizing integrated pest management (IPM) strategies. They explore how to identify and encourage beneficial insects, the role of predators, and the significance of plant selection in creating a healthy ecosystem.

Keywords: gardening, beneficial insects, pests, integrated pest management, entomology, insect identification, plant selection, ecosystem, natural pest control, urban gardening

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!

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.

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.

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.

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?