Bug Note

Colder weather means fewer bugs around, but have you ever wondered where they go? On the season finale of Bug Note, host Daniel Potter chats with Dr. Jason Cryan about the bugs of winter — an episode inspired by two of NHMU’s Youth Teaching Youth interns, Benny and Lupe. About Bug Note ⁠Bug Note⁠  is a podcast from the Natural History Museum of Utah about the wiggly, wild, and weird world of bugs!...

Entomology, the study of insects, brings together bug enthusiasts from all walks of life. Since bugs are all around us, studying them is a great way to get involved in science! Ted Fridirici is a great example of this. As a citizen scientist and dear friend of the Museum, his love of bugs has led to adventurous pursuits and sparked dreams of a bug-focused podcast. On this week’s episode of Bug Not...

The bug world is filled with an abundance of interesting insects, but that abundance doesn’t mean bugs aren’t in danger of extinction. On this episode of Bug Note, host Daniel Potter chats about extinct and endangered species with the entomologist leading the Natural History Museum of Utah, Dr. Jason Cryan. About Bug Note ⁠Bug Note⁠  is a podcast from the Natural History Museum of Utah about the w...

Many bug enthusiasts want to turn their love for insects into a career, but it can be hard to know where to start. On this episode of Bug Note, host Daniel Potter talks about educational pursuits and internships with Moss Yeager, an entomology intern at the Natural History Museum of Utah. About Bug Note ⁠Bug Note⁠  is a podcast from the Natural History Museum of Utah about the wiggly, wild, and we...

From species longer than twelve inches to those that max out at the width of a human hair, the bug world is full of interesting species. On this episode of Bug Note, host Daniel Potter explores the biggest and smallest insects alongside NHMU’s Invertebrate Collections Manager, Christy Bills. About Bug Note ⁠Bug Note⁠  is a podcast from the Natural History Museum of Utah about the wiggly, wild, and...

Across the wild world of bugs, many groups of insects have evolved to use the same survival tool: venom. For some bugs, venom is a weapon used to kill or immobilize prey. For others, it’s a defensive weapon. On this episode of Bug Note, host Daniel Potter chats about venomous bugs with the entomologist leading the Natural History Museum of Utah, Dr. Jason Cryan. About Bug Note ⁠Bug Note⁠  is a pod...

If you’ve ever been stunned by the beauty of an orchid mantis or mesmerized by the clever camouflage of the Arizona bordered mantis, this episode of Bug Note is for you. There are more than 2,500 known species of mantis around the world, but new ones are consistently being discovered! The state of Utah alone is home to eleven species! Diving into the details about these captivating predators, host...

Evolution is a fascinating (though sometimes strange) thing. When we look at the diverse animals around us, it can lead to questions, like, “Why did they adapt that way?” On this episode of Bug Note, host Daniel Potter is joined by the entomologist leading the Natural History Museum of Utah, Jason Cryan. Together, they explore a few of the strange adaptations we see in the bug world and outline th...

Sometimes bugs end up in places they don’t belong — invading ecosystems they’ve never been part of before. On this episode of Bug Note, host Daniel Potter chats with Christy Bills, NHMU's Invertebrate Collections Manager, about the impact of invasive species and the ways citizen scientists can help researchers track insect migration. About Bug Note ⁠Bug Note⁠  is a podcast from the Natural His...

The number of insects in the world is trending downward, leading some to label this the “insect apocalypse.” On this episode of Bug Note, host Daniel Potter chats with Dr. Jason Cryan, NHMU’s Sarah B. George Executive Director and entomologist, about the data researchers are reporting — and how you can help on a local level! About Bug Note ⁠Bug Note⁠  is a podcast from the Natural History Museum o...

Nicole Parish has a lot of favorite bugs, but that doesn’t mean she immediately loves every bug that crosses her path. On this episode of Bug Note, Parish joins host Daniel Potter to discuss her favorite insects, along with a few surprising facts that might just change the way you think about bugs. About Bug Note ⁠Bug Note⁠  is a podcast from the Natural History Museum of Utah about the wiggly, wi...

Spotify Description For many people, insects are easy to overlook — or avoid altogether. But for Nicole Parish, they are a source of wonder, creativity, and connection. On this episode of Bug Note, Parish joins host Daniel Potter to discuss her love of bugs and the creative inspiration they provide.  About Bug Note ⁠Bug Note⁠  is a podcast from the Natural History Museum of Utah about the wiggly,...

In a world of viral videos and unverified claims, it's sometimes hard to distinguish between fact and fiction. Do people really swallow spiders in their sleep? Can a ladybug’s spots tell you their age? On this episode of Bug Note, host Daniel Potter is joined by one of NHMU’s Youth Teaching Youth interns, Lupe Hansen, to discover the truth about some common bug claims. Join Dr. Jason Cryan, NH...

Storytelling is part of human nature. We tell stories to make sense of the world, which means we often include narrative elements that reflect the animals and places around us. On this episode of Bug Note, host Daniel Potter explores the role insects play in storytelling traditions around the world. He is joined by NHMU’s Invertebrate Collections Manager, Christy Bills. About Bug Note ⁠Bug Note⁠  ...

Welcome to Bug Note from the Natural History Museum of Utah. On this episode of Bug Note, host Daniel Potter talks about why people collect insects with Christy Bills, NHMU’s Invertebrate Collections Manager, and Dr. Jason Cryan, NHMU’s Sarah B. George Executive Director, who also happens to be an entomologist. About Bug Note ⁠Bug Note⁠  is a podcast from the Natural History Museum of Utah about t...

Welcome to Bug Note from the Natural History Museum of Utah. Science is furthered by passionate people, not just those holding university degrees. Citizen scientists play a vital role in the collection and analyzation of data throughout the world. On this episode of Bug Note, host Daniel Potter chats with Christy Bills, NHMU’s Invertebrate Collections Manager about the role that citizen scientists...

Welcome to Bug Note from the Natural History Museum of Utah. Insects are everywhere, and so are entomologists. While we typically think about entomologists collecting bugs in the field and pinning them in a lab, that’s just one example of the variety of work entomologists do. On this episode of Bug Note, Daniel Potter chats about the diverse career paths within the world of entomology with Christy...

Welcome to Bug Note from the Natural History Museum of Utah. Most of us probably don’t know every species of ant roaming our backyards — we might even have trouble identifying the differences between species. But for one professor at the University of Utah, understanding ant biodiversity is both his job and his passion. On this episode of Bug Note, host Dan Potter chats with Jack Longino, Ph. D.,...

Welcome to Bug Note from the Natural History Museum of Utah. Between the creature-feature flicks of Hollywood, the anecdotal accounts of stings and bites, and other societal factors, we’re often conditioned to be afraid of bugs. In reality, only a tiny fraction of the bug world presents danger to humans. In this episode of Bug Note, host Daniel Potter chats with NHMU Invertebrates Collections Mana...

Welcome to Bug Note from the Natural History Museum of Utah. From critters that undergo complete metamorphosis to insects with odd protrusions on their heads, the bug world is full of the weird and wild. On this episode of Bug Note, host Daniel Potter chats with Christy Bills, NHMU’s Invertebrate Collections Manager, and Dr. Jason Cryan, NHMU’s Sarah B. George Executive Director and trained entomo...

Welcome to Bug Note from the Natural History Museum of Utah. In this episode of Bug Note, host Daniel Potter chats with Rob Dunn, Ph. D., an expert on symbiotic relationships between species. Together, they shed some light on the concept of mutualisms, relationships that benefit both parties, and how those relationships can change over time. About Bug Note ⁠Bug Note⁠  is a podcast from the Natural...

Welcome to Bug Note from the Natural History Museum of Utah. In this episode of Bug Note, host Daniel Potter and NHMU Invertebrate Collections Manager, Christy Bills illuminate the fascinating lives of fireflies, including how citizen scientists around the country can help with firefly research. About Bug Note ⁠Bug Note⁠  is a podcast from the Natural History Museum of Utah about the wiggly, wild,...

Welcome to Bug Note from the Natural History Museum of Utah. In this episode of Bug Note, host Daniel Potter chats with professor of applied ecology and self-proclaimed “belly buttonologist” Rob Dunn, Ph. D. Together, they explore the many unexpected places bugs reside. About Bug Note ⁠Bug Note⁠  is a podcast from the Natural History Museum of Utah about the wiggly, wild, and weird world of bugs!...

Welcome to Bug Note from the Natural History Museum of Utah. In this episode of Bug Note, host Daniel Potter explores a few classic examples of convergent evolution in bugs alongside Dr. Jason Cryan, NHMU’s Sarah B. George Executive Director and a trained entomologist. About Bug Note ⁠Bug Note⁠  is a podcast from the Natural History Museum of Utah about the wiggly, wild, and weird world of bugs! I...

Most of us can’t imagine living in the constant, sweltering heat or a bitter, frozen landscape, but in those harsh conditions, some bugs thrive. It’s a bizarre choice from our perspective, but a paradise from theirs.  Welcome to Bug Note from the Natural History Museum of Utah. In this episode, host Daniel Potter explores a few of these extremes alongside NHMU's Invertebrate Collections Manage...