Hidden Wings and Bloodlust

I talk to Ben Knowlton from There Will Be Bugs about metamorphosis including holometabolous vs hemimetabolous, imaginal discs, whether an insect really does turn to liquid in the pupa, what can go wrong, and more...  Pluggables:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/there-will-be-bugs/id1715492448 - There will be Bugs on Apple Podcasts  https://open.spotify.com/show/2u8pQQEVkUHQj0Cl3robap - Spoti...

All about the Cactus Ladybug.  https://bugguide.net/node/view/83002 https://academic.oup.com/ee/article-abstract/47/2/334/4911639 https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Michael-Samways/publication/233668969_Physiological_and_Behavioral_Characteristics_of_Chilocorus_spp_Coleoptera_Coccinellidae_in_the_Laboratory_Relative_to_Effectiveness_in_the_Field_as_Biocontrol_Agents/links/57b411fa08aeaf239bafa29...

This week I'm celebrating Mamdani's win with an episode on the state insect of New York. :)  Photo credit: Andy Birkey (bsky) (andybirkey.com)  https://guides.nynhp.org/nine-spotted-lady-beetle/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coccinella_novemnotata https://benthamopenarchives.com/abstract.php? ArticleCode=TOENTOJ-6-42 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1049964411003355?via%3Dihu...

Hear about one of the rarest and most beautiful ladybirds in Europe, its unique habitat and lifestyle.  https://www.researchgate.net/publication/333761329_Niche_width_and_niche_specialization_in_four_species_of_ladybirds_Coleoptera_Coccinellidae_co-occurring_in_the_same_habitat https://www.jungledragon.com/specie/12592/sospita_vigintiguttata.html#:~:text=Sospita%20vigintiguttata%20(Linnaeus%201758...

I discuss the relationship of ladybirds to Christianity.  Sources include:  Books - A cultural history of insects in the medieval age  Encyclopedia of Easter celebrations worldwide https://fathersofmercy.com/the-seven-sorrows-seven-joys-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4567115-a-year-on-ladybug-farm   https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/15/5/306   https://ucatholic.com/blo...

The 7-spot ladybird was my very first episode and I've re-edited the audio and uploaded it again, which I will be doing for some of my older episodes, although it still sounds a bit weird in places, so I might update this file again in future as well. I used a variety of sources for this, including books by Richard Comont and Helen Roy. My instagram account was since hacked so the link is invalid,...

An in depth episode about the amazingly variable 10-spot ladybird.  Sources:  AFG Dixon's study on 10-spot larvae:  An experimental study of the searching behaviour of the predatory coccinellid beetle Adalia decempunctata (L.)  https://resjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-2311.1958.tb00786.x - Escape responses by aphids to 10-spots  https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/27/20/7074 -...

I interview Armando Rosario Lebrón, an entomologist who has recently moved from the USA to Wales, about the Trump administration's policies and how these are affecting entomology in the USA.  Mentioned in this episode:  https://cvrileyfoundation.org/charles-valentine-riley/ https://vancouverbeeproject.org/blog/the-usgs-bee-lab-is-at-risk-of-being-permanently-closed https://www.entsoc.org/membershi...

Find about a tiny but fascinating ladybird that is a voracious predator of citrus whitefly in the Mediterranean, Middle East and India.  http://www.agri.huji.ac.il/mepests/enemy/Serangium_montazerii/ https://www.researchgate.net/publication/280804703_Biology_and_predation_potential_of_the_Indian_ladybird_Serangium_montazerii_on_Bemisia_tabaci https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11594705/ http...

I discuss my recent trip to Italy and the ladybirds and other inverts I saw there.  Bsky: @psyllobora22 FB: Hidden Wings and Bloodlust Website: https://hiddenwingsandbloodlust.podbean.com  Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/hidden-wings-and-bloodlust/id1476595771

I discuss this recent arrival to the UK, discovered in the new forest over the summer.  Sources:  Andrew Jewels' Website: https://www.andrew-jewels.com   https://zin.ru/animalia/coleoptera/addpages/Andrey_Ukrainsky_Library/References_files/Moore78.pdf https://insecta.pro/taxonomy/1000974 https://pherobase.com/database/species/species-Calvia-decemguttata.php https://arthropodafotos.de/dbsp.php?lang...

I talk about the origins of ladybirds.  Sources:  Spotlight Ladybirds - Richard Comont Ecology and behaviour of the ladybird beetles - Michael Majerus Evolution of food preferences in Coccinellidae - https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrkEIRN5sloBgIAIvoM34lQ;_ylu=Y29sbwNpcjIEcG9zAzEEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1759271758/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fwww.sciencedirect.com%2fscience%2farticle%2fpii%2fS10499644...

I speak to Joe Gray from the Ecological Citizen about Compassionate Entomology and how the concept of treating insects as individuals, taking into account their welfare, could revolutionise entomological research.  https://blog.ecologicalcitizen.net/2024/12/10/making-a-case-for-compassionate-entomology 

The second part of my conversation with John. We don't stick to ladybirds but talk about a wide range of wildlife topics. :)  Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts - Music by Debra Torrance. Buy my book! https://mybook.to/82BK2En Buy me a coffee -  https://ko-fi.com/hwabpodcast  

Recently myself and my friend John Attiwell went to Norfolk. The previous year we had been to Scotland. We recorded a 2-part conversation - the first part is about ladybirds we have found. ;)  https://ko-fi.com/hwabpodcast Buy me a coffee at Ko-Fi :)  https://mybook.to/82BK2En - Buy my book! 

I talk to Michiel de Groot of the University of Ghent about his research on the notorious Laboulbeniales fungi, and the Hesperomyces genus which infect ladybirds - especially Harlequins.  Follow Michiel at @michieldegroot.bsky.social  https://beetlehangers.org/ Beetlehangers  https://www.dannyhaelewaters.com/ - Danny Haelewaters' research https://fun-dive.eu/ - Monitoring and mapping fungal divers...

A little studied ladybird, but with some surprising facts mentioned in this episode.  https://www.ko-fi.com/hwabpodcast   Ladybirds in traditional medicine:  https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Shafkat-Mir/publication/378176519_Ethnobiological_use_of_insects_in_traditional_medicine_and_cultural_practices_from_the_administrative_region_Rishikesh_Dehradun-India/links/65d4263d01325d46521570c8/Ethnob...

All about the orange ladybird - one orange organism you will be glad to hear about in these bleak times.    Buy my book! https://mybook.to/82BK2En   Support me with Ko-Fi:  https://ko-fi.com/hwabpodcast   https://www.nature.com/articles/srep11021.pdf   https://www.academia.edu/download/90336212/latest.pdf https://www.gnhs.org.uk/gn25_3/weddle_halyzia16.pdf https://mahieu.org.uk/orange-ladybirds/  ...

I'm gonna restart the @hwabpodcast again! 

I interview wildlife campaigner Richard Dowling (@DowlingWildlife on Twitter) about artificial grass. In this episode we talk about what the problems are with it, what the best low-maintenance plants are for your lawn as alternatives to grass, what to do if your landlord won't let you get rid of an artificial lawn and more!  With a promo for Crime Most French @CrimeMostFrench :)    Music by Debra...

I walk around a nature reserve near my house and look for ladybirds. Apologies in advance for the poor sound quality, I didn't really edit this and recorded it on a phone :)  Music by Debra Torrance.      Buy me a coffee: https://www.ko-fi.com/hwabpodcast   Like my facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/hiddenwingsandbloodlust Follow me on instagram: 365.ladybird Follow me on twitter: @hwabpodca...

For episode 50, I interviewed Professor Helen Roy who manages the UK Ladybird Survey. She is the author of several books including the Field Guide to the Ladybirds of the UK and Ireland and one of the most well-known ladybird experts in the world. She's also president of the Royal Entomological Society!  Find out more here: https://www.ceh.ac.uk/staff/helen-roy or follow her on Twitter @UKLadybird...

All about the cream-spot ladybird. Does include a discussion of reproduction with some mildly strong language so take care while listening!  Featuring a promo for the Wild Episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-wild-episode/id1364093026 @WildEpisode on Twitter    Buy me a coffee: https://www.ko-fi.com/hwabpodcast   Like my facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/hiddenwingsandbloodlus...

I interview Mark Welfare from the Northeast Ladybird Spot, and Juliet Wilson and Per Smiseth from Cemetery Wildlife Watch about ladybirds in cemeteries. Around 35 minutes in, the zoom recording cut out, so apologies if it goes a bit weird around then!  Visit Juliet's Etsy shop: https://craftygreenpoet.etsy.com   Cemetery Wildlife Watch: https://www.facebook.com/groups/257026872679440   UK Hoverfli...

Find out about a little-known South African ladybird. Please note that the 'meandering black line' description was not mine but was said by one of the commenters on the posts I looked at for this episode.  https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/107697606 https://www.ispotnature.org/communities/southern-africa/view/observation/699558/cheilomenes-bidentata-on-senecio-rigidus https://www.ispotnatur...