Spending time in the great outdoors may leave you with an itchy sense of wonder at the variety of insect life in Virginia. Along with the dreaded deer-tick, the bloodthirsty machinations of fleas and chiggers make for an uncomfortable summer season. Biologist Ralph Eckerlin (NOVA-Community College) examines the mysteries of fleas, including their role in spreading bubonic plague into the present century. Evolution has equipped most insect pests with remarkable means of gathering food. Daniel Sonenshine (Old Dominion University) explains how ticks recognize the secretions released by potential prey, while Leta Jane Holman (Longwood University) highlights the chigger’s specialized way of dining—injecting an enzyme that actually dissolves the victim’s flesh.
Find the audio for segment one here.
Find the audio for segment two here.
Find the audio for segment three here.
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