Articles for category: Insects, Plants

Oranges hanging from a tree branch.

The Citrus Psyllid Plague: What’s Threatening Florida’s Orange Groves

Trizzy Orozco

Picture yourself driving through the heart of Florida, with the sun painting golden ribbons across endless seas of orange groves. For generations, these trees have been the lifeblood of Florida’s agriculture, a symbol of sunshine and prosperity. But beneath this picturesque scene, a tiny, almost invisible enemy is bringing the state’s iconic groves to their ...

Clownfish: Masters of the Sea

Intersex in the Wild: What Nature Teaches Us About Biological Diversity

Trizzy Orozco

Imagine wandering through a lush rainforest, watching a butterfly pause on a flower, or marveling at the shimmer of a fish beneath the surface of a crystal-clear stream. Now ask yourself: how much diversity is truly hidden in these scenes? The natural world is bursting with surprises, and one of its most captivating lessons is ...

a close up of a fruit on a tree branch

Murder Hornets in the Pacific Northwest: Should We Still Be Worried?

Maria Faith Saligumba

The term “murder hornet” once struck fear into the hearts of beekeepers, farmers, and nature lovers across the Pacific Northwest. These massive, aggressive insects seemed like a nightmare scenario – buzzing invaders capable of wiping out entire bee colonies in hours. But as we step into 2025, the question on everyone’s mind isn’t whether they’re ...

How the Emerald Ash Borer Is Silently Erasing America's Ash Trees

How the Emerald Ash Borer Is Silently Erasing America’s Ash Trees

Annette Uy

Picture a killer so small it could sit comfortably on your fingernail, yet so devastating it could eliminate an entire species spanning 16 different varieties across North America. This isn’t science fiction—it’s the emerald ash borer’s reality. While you’re reading this, millions of ash trees are dying silently in forests and neighborhoods from coast to ...

Two birds perched on top of a pine tree

The Pine Beetle Epidemic: How One Insect Is Reshaping the Rockies’ Forests

Trizzy Orozco

Imagine standing in a vast pine forest, the air fresh and cool, sunlight streaming through towering green canopies. Now picture that same forest, but with mile after mile of trees tinged in rust-red, their needles dying, their trunks riddled with tiny holes. This isn’t the aftermath of a wildfire or a logging operation—it’s the signature ...

Don't Be Fooled by the Spongy Moth's New Name—It's Still a Tree Killer

Don’t Be Fooled by the Spongy Moth’s New Name—It’s Still a Tree Killer

Jan Otte

In a world where political correctness often trumps practical reality, one of nature’s most destructive invaders just got a makeover. But changing a name doesn’t change the devastating appetite that’s turning North America’s forests into graveyards. The Moth That Got a Marketing Team March 2, 2023, marks one year since a new common name for ...

Secret Cinema presents Back to the Future.

From Jurassic Park to Interstellar: 9 Movie Scientists Who Shaped Pop Science

Trizzy Orozco

Imagine sitting in a darkened theater, popcorn in hand, heart pounding as a scientist on screen unlocks the secrets of dinosaurs, black holes, or genetic codes. From the wild-eyed dreamers of Jurassic Park to the stoic explorers of Interstellar, movie scientists have fueled our collective imagination, inspired heated dinner-table debates, and sometimes even nudged real-world ...

Vibrant close-up of mussels on a rock with ocean waves at Cape Town beach.

Invasion from the Water: Zebra Mussels and Their Hitchhiking Larvae (Yes, They’re Insects)

Maria Faith Saligumba

Imagine dipping your toes into a sparkling lake, only to discover the ecosystem beneath is under silent siege. Zebra mussels, those tiny but fierce invaders, have crept into waterways all over the world, transforming landscapes and livelihoods with a stealth that’s almost villainous. What’s even more astonishing? Their larvae—the real hitchhikers of the aquatic world—aren’t ...

A World of Tiny Farmers Beneath Our Feet

Did-You-Know, Most Ants Are Female — And They Run the Colony

Trizzy Orozco

Imagine a world where almost every powerful figure, every worker, every leader, and every decision-maker is female. Sounds like the plot of a futuristic novel, right? Yet, this is the everyday reality inside an ant colony. These tiny creatures, scurrying underfoot or building complex cities beneath your lawn, live in societies where females dominate every ...