A 26-minute documentary explores the beauty and wonder of entomology during a journey alongside leading insect scientists to explore the most painful stings and fascinating science of the unseen lives that surround you. Prompted by a 2014 Science article, lead author Rodolfo Dirzo of Stanford, combined data from several studies and found a 45 percent decline for a wide range of studied populations in the last forty years.
All Life Is Connected
Systematics is the study of the diversification of living forms, both past and present, and the relationships among living things through time.
The Pain Scale
Justin Schmidt is known as the "King of Sting" for good reason. He has been stung thousands of times by every imaginable stinging insect and from these horrific experiences he has developed the world famous "Schmidt Pain Index." It has become a hallmark for science community, Coyote Peterson (Brave Wilderness), and was even featured on Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Beyond Human Vision
In the world of tiny insects, taking photos becomes impossible as the depth of field blurs most of the insect. How do scientist explore the microscopic corners of the world and what technological tricks make it possible?
Insect Collections
The University of Arizona Insect Collections (UAIC) maintains approximately 2.0 million insect specimens and is the most comprehensive in the world for the Sonoran Desert Region.
A Malaise Trap?
A Malaise trap, invented by the Swedish entomologist René Malaise, it resembles a black and white tent that directs insects into a collection bottle where they are trapped and then studied later by scientists.
Ancient DNA
Recent advances in DNA sequencing have unlocked a treasure trove of secrets that have been hiding in plain sight, insect collections! With the new methods for using fragmented DNA, insects collected decades ago are now time capsules for a whole new field of research.
Arizona Insect Festival
Every year, thousands of people come together to celebrate one thing: how much they love bugs!
Exploding Beetles
Does this cannon make my butt look big? When threatened, Bombadier beetles use a mixture of hydrogen peroxide, hydroquinones, and a catalyst to kick off an explosion that they can spray on would be attackers. Wow!
