10 Fascinating Facts about Bess Beetles

The  amiable bess beetles  (family Passalidae)  make great classroom pets, and are fun to watch. Bess beetles are so much more than cute; theyre also some of the most sophisticated bugs on the planet. Dont believe it? Consider these 10 fascinating facts about bess beetles. 1. Bess beetles are important decomposers Passalids live in hardwood logs, munching away on the tough tree fibers and turning them into new soil. They prefer oak, hickory, and maple, but will set up shop in just about any hardwood log that has sufficiently decayed. If youre looking for bess beetles, turn over rotting logs on the forest floor. In the tropics, where bess beetles are more diverse, a single log may house as many as 10 different Passalid species. 2. Bess beetles live in family groups Within their log homes, both bess beetle parents reside with their offspring. With their powerful mandibles, they excavate rooms and passages to house their family. The bess beetle family guards its home against any and all intruders, including other unrelated bess beetles. In some species, a large, extended family of individuals lives together in a colony. This subsocial behavior is quite unusual among beetles. 3. Bess beetles talk Like many other insects – crickets, grasshoppers, and cicadas, for example – bess beetles use sounds to communicate with one another. Whats remarkable, however, is how sophisticated their language seems to be. One North American species, Odontotaenius disjunctis, produces 14 distinct sounds, presumably with different meanings. An adult bess beetle talks by rubbing a hardened part of its hindwings against spines on the dorsal surface of its abdomen, a behavior known as stridulation. Larvae can communicate, too, by rubbing their middle and hind legs against each other. Captive bess beetles will complain loudly when disturbed in any way, and squeak audibly when handled. 4. Bess beetles co-parent their young The vast majority of insect parents simply deposit their eggs and go. A few, like some stink bug mothers, will guard her eggs until they hatch. In fewer still, a parent might stick around long enough to keep her nymphs safe. But rare are the insect parents that remain together as a pair to raise their young to adulthood, and bess beetles are counted among them. Not only do the mother and father bess beetle work together to feed and protect their offspring, but the older larvae stick around to help with rearing their younger siblings. 5. Bess beetles eat poop Like termites and other insects that feed on wood, bess beetles need the help of microorganisms to break down the tough plant fibers. Without these digestive symbionts, they simply couldnt process the cellulose. But bess beetles arent born with these vital fungi and bacteria living in their guts. The solution? They eat their own poop, much like rabbits do, to keep a healthy number of microorganisms in their digestive tracts. Without enough frass in its diet, a bess beetle will die. 6. Bess beetles lay their eggs in nests of poop Baby bess beetles are at an even greater digestive disadvantage, because their mandibles arent strong enough to chew wood and they lack gut microorganisms. So mama and papa bess beetle start their babies out in a cradle made of masticated wood and frass. In fact, when a  bess beetle larva reaches its final instar and is ready to pupate, its parents and siblings work together to construct it a cocoon made of frass. Thats how important poop is to a Passalid. 7. Bess beetles have a lot of nicknames Members of the family Passalidae go by a long list of common names: bessbugs, bessiebugs, betsy beetles, bess beetles, horned passalus beetles, patent leather beetles, peg beetles, and horn beetles.   The many variations on bess seems to derive from the French word baiser, which means to kiss, and is likely a reference to the smooching sound they make when they stridulate. If youve seen one, you already know why some people call them patent leather beetles – theyre quite shiny and black, like patent leather shoes. 8. Bess beetles look menacing, but are surprisingly gentle The first time you see a bess beetle, you might be a bit intimidated. Theyre hefty insects, often well over 3 cm long, with the massive mandibles youd expect from a beetle that eats wood. But rest assured, they dont bite, and dont even grab hold of your fingers with their feet the way scarab beetles do. Because theyre so easygoing and big, they make good first pets for young insect lovers. If youre a teacher interested in keeping insects in your classroom, you wont find one easier to care for and handle than the bess beetle. 9. Most bess beetles live in the tropics The family Passalidae includes roughly 600 described species, and nearly all of them live in tropical habitats. Only four species are known from the U.S. and Canada, and of these, two species havent been seen for decades. Some bess beetle species are endemic, meaning they live only in a certain area, such as on an isolated mountain or a particular island. 10. To date, just a single bess beetle fossil has been found The only prehistoric Passalid known from the fossil record is Passalus indormitus, collected in Oregon. Passalus indormitus dates to the Oligocene epoch, and lived about 25 million years ago. There are no known bess beetles living in the Pacific Northwest today, interestingly. Passalus indormitus is most similar to Passalus punctiger, a living species that inhabits Mexico, Central America, and parts of South America. Sources: Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants, by Douglas W. TallamyAmerican Beetles: Polyphaga: Scarabaeoidea through Curculionoidea, Volume 2, edited by Ross H. Arnett, JR, Michael C. Thomas, Paul E. Skelley, J. Howard FrankInsect Behavior, by Robert W. Matthews, Janice R. MatthewsNinety-nine Gnats, Nits, and Nibblers, by May BerenbaumBess Beetles of Kentucky, University of Kentucky Entomology website. Accessed December 10, 2013.Borror and DeLongs Introduction to the Study of Insects, 7th edition, by Charles A. Triplehorn and Norman F. JohnsonEncyclopedia of Entomology, 2nd edition, edited by John L. Capinera.

The Palestinian-Israel Conflict Essay - 2191 Words

The Palestinian-Israeli conflict has been in existence since the end of 19th century. The conflict became an international concern when Israel got its independence in 1948. This conflict has resulted in a lot of minor conflicts and 5major wars. Tensions between the Arabs and Zionists started after the 1800’s when the immigration of the European Jews to Palestine was on the increase. The population of Palestine from 1882-1883 was 468,000 and the population consisted of 408 Muslims, 44,000 Christians and 15,000 Jews. During this time Palestine was under the Ottoman Empire. From 1915 to 1916, there was an exchange of letters between the Sharif of Mecca Husayn bin Ali and the British high commissioner in Egypt Sir Henry McMahon. The Arab side†¦show more content†¦This plan was to create Arab and Jewish states from Palestine. The Jewish public accepted this plan but the Arabs rejected it. In 1948, the British mandate announced their intentions to terminate its mandate in Palestine due to the conflict between the Palestinians and the Jews. Britain faced difficulties trying to bring peace to Palestine. After the British mandate left Palestine, the Jewish people declared the establishment of a Jewish state (Israel). On the same day, Jordan, Egypt, Syria, Iraq intervened and this marked the first Arab-Israeli war. After this war, over 800,000 Palestinian Arabs became refugees as a result of the independence of Israel. Also, Jews in the Arab countries were made to abandon their properties and flee. In 1956, Gemal Abdul Nassir announced that he wanted the nationalization of the Suez Canal. This canal has been operated by Britain and France since the 18th century and due to this, tensions rose between Egypt, Britain and France. Israel regarded Gemal Abdul Nassir as a threat to its national security and due to this it was easy for Britain and France to convince Israel in the invasion of Egypt and the overthrowing of its president. Israel invaded Sinai Peninsula, Britain and France landed their troops later on the pretence of separating the fighting parties. This was the start of the Suez crisis. The USA condemned their actions and forced the three parties to withdraw and this made it possibleShow MoreRelatedThe Palestinian And Israel Conflict2619 Words   |  11 Pagesmany nations with internal conflict that has been a victim of the recipe of quarrels time and time again. In my paper I will focus on two different conflicts, one in which who has been able to create a recipe for su ccessful peace in the land, and another in which is still a victim of the recipe that leads to everlasting fights. 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Defining the Humanities Free Essays

Defining the Humanities Defining the Humanities The purpose of this paper is to differentiate the humanities from other modes of human inquiry and expression. I will define the humanities of a cultural event of music and how music was an expression of what I know about the humanities, art, style, genius, and culture from the 60s. I will also discuss how the music of the 60s compares with other forms I know about from the same period. We will write a custom essay sample on Defining the Humanities or any similar topic only for you Order Now One of the definitions of humanities, according to the American Heritage Dictionary, is â€Å"Those branches of knowledge, such as philosophy, literature, and art, that are concerned with human thought and culture; the liberal arts. † Culture is a big part of humanities. Culture, as defined by the American Heritage Dictionary, is the totality of socially transmitted behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and other products of human work and thought. These patterns, traits, and products considered as the expression of a particular period, class, community, or population (American heritage dictionary, 2000). Music is an artistic form of sound communication via musical instruments and voice that produce sounds and tones. Music is as old as mankind and cultures past and present have music. The â€Å"oldest known song† dates back 4,000 years ago and was written in ancient cuneiform. Cuneiform is a character or characters formed by the arrangement of small wedge-shaped elements and used in ancient Sumerian, Akkadian, Assyrian, Babylonian, and Persian writing (American heritage dictionary, 2000). The certainty of how or when the first musical instrument was invented, however, most historians point to early flutes made from animal bones that are at least 37,000 years old (Bellis, 2010). The music of the 60’s in America is the humanities or culture of the American people of that era. Many changes going on in the 60s including revolutionary changes, extraordinary levels of sexual freedom among youths, and revolting teenagers like no one has ever seen before. Music has consistently been influenced by the trends of its time; reflecting the politics, economics, and lifestyles that exist. The Baby Boomer generation lived during a time when war had a powerful impact on everyone’s life. Drugs became, perhaps, one of the most influential variables apparent in the music of the 60s. In the early 1960s a band named the Byrd’s and guys like Dylan changed the way many people looked at music. These bands started an underground wave that flowed throughout the 60s, this became known as the â€Å"Psychedelic Era. † This era introduced drugs to be an important aspect involved in the creation of the music, and was used by the listeners to enhance their experience. Bands such as the Byrd’s and Grateful Dead started experimenting with such drugs as LSD, marijuana, and acid. They believed that drugs could help them create music that would blow the music of the fifties away, and it did (â€Å"The music of the sixties–the psychedelic eraâ€Å", 1998). The music of the 60s came in many styles. Some of the genres of the era are: Soft rock, (also referred to as mellow rock, light rock, or easy rock) is a style of music that uses the techniques of rock and roll (often combined with elements from folk rock and singer-songwriter pop) to compose a softer, more toned-down sound for listening. Soft rock songs generally tend to focus on themes like love, everyday life, and relationships (â€Å"Soft rockâ€Å", 2010). Hard rock – modify rock and roll (blues, country, and gospel), adding to the standard genre harder sounds, heavier guitar riffs (A short rhythmic phrase), bombastic (long winded) drumming and louder vocals (â€Å"Hard rockâ€Å", 2010). Country rock – formed from the fusion of rock with country (â€Å"Country rockâ€Å", 2010). Folk rock – combining elements of folk music and rock music (â€Å"Folk rockâ€Å", 2010). Punk rock – They created fast, hard-edged music, typically with short songs, stripped-down instrumentation, and often political, anti-establishment lyrics (â€Å"Punk rockâ€Å", 2010). Shock rock – is a wide umbrella term for artists who combine rock music with elements of theatrical shock value in live performances (â€Å"Shock rockâ€Å", 2010). Rhythm and Blues (R;B), Soul, Funk Influenced by R;B (â€Å"Rhythm and bluesâ€Å", 2010). Many artists’ musical roots come from gospel. For example, Elvis Presley started out singing gospel when he was only a few years old later moving onto Rock and Roll (Nite, 1974, p. 95). The art in America of the 60s was influenced by the desire to move into the modern age or future that the space age seemed to forecast. As with the music of the 60s, drugs had an influence on some of the art of the 60s. This art came to be known as psychedelic art (ex. Brummbaer). Major works by Alexander Calder (mobiles and sculpture) or He len Frankenthaler (non-representational art) showed a desire to escape from details to interpret. Artists wanted to inspire the viewer to leap into the unknown and experience art in their own way. A new artist who appeared was Andy Warhol, a leading name in pop art. Other forms evolving during this time were assemblage art, op art (or optical art) (ex. Vasarely), or kinetic abstraction (ex. Marcel Duchamp), environmental art (ex. Robert Smithson), and pop art, (ex. David Hockney) (Goodwin, 2009). In conclusion, humanities or cultures have been around since the beginning of mankind. Cultures can be estranged in their beliefs hence the creation of new cultures. Music, dance, theater, art, literature, or other cultures can change over time trough many influential channels. For example, the way the war and drugs influence the cultures of the 60s with the songs of war protests and psychedelic art. When changes come about the changes will usually have an effect on the, music, dance, theater, art, literature, or other cultures of the era. The one thing mankind can count on through the years, decades, centuries, and millennium is change. References American heritage dictionary. (4th ed. ). (2000). Chicago, IL: Houghton Mifflin Company. Bellis, M. (2010). Inventing musical instruments. Retrieved from http://inventors. bout. com/od/mstartinventions/tp/musicalinstrument. htm Country rock. (2010). In Country rock. Retrieved May 5, 2010, from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Country_rock Folk rock. (2010). In Folk rock. Retrieved May 5, 2010, from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Folk_rock Goodwin, S. (2009). American cultural history 1960 – 1969. Retrieved from http://kclibrary. lonestar. edu/decade60. html Hard rock. (2010). In Hard rock. Retrieved May 5, 2010, from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Hard_rock Nite, N. N. (1974). Rock on. New York, NY: Thomas Y. Crowell. Punk rock. (2010). In Punk rock. Retrieved May 5, 2010, from Rhythm and blues. (2010). In Rhythm and blues. Retrieved May 5, 2010, from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Rhythm_and_blues Shock rock. (2010). In Shock rock. Retrieved May 5, 2010, from http:// en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Shock_rock Soft rock. (2010). In Soft rock. Retrieved May 5, 2010, from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Soft_rock The music of the sixties–the psychedelic era. (1998). Retrieved from http://library. thinkquest. org/21342/text/1960. htm How to cite Defining the Humanities, Papers

A Contrast Of Motivation Theories And Manager’s Interview - Samples

Question: Discuss about the Contrast Of Motivation Theories And Managers Interview. Answer: There are several motivation theories both traditional and contemporary that explain motives of employees performance in the workplace (Bratton, Gold 2017, p.4). Findings of interview with a manager can be used to compare with different motivation theories. The various theories of motivation to make comparison with include: Maslow hierarchy of needs, Mc Gregorys theory X and Y, Herzberg two factor theory, Mc Clelands three need theory, goal setting theory, equity theory, and expectancy theory. The Maslow hierarchy of needs states a level of needs to be provided in working environment. The first needs is psychological needs as per the manager recommendation from the psychological needs have not been met in the organizations that is evidenced by organization lacking of wellness programme (Cook Artino 2016, p.995). In terms of safety needs the manager stated that they do not provide job security to their employee which is against Maslow hierarch of needs of safety provision to employees. The manager recommendations agreed with Maslow hierarchy of needs on provision of esteem needs each of the employees is provided with job titles which allowing them to take participate in job. On the basis of self-actualization needs in the theory hierarchy the employees are not allowed for career development progression according to the managers recommendation. Mc Gregorys theory X and Y states characteristics of employees differ in work performance and attitude. Theory X explains employees who dislike work while theory Y having a liking to work (Guill 2018, p.65). According to manager recommendations the employees are motivated to work, and they are controlled to achieve results. That shows that the employees are ready to seek and accept any kind of responsibility being allocated. Participation in research clearly supports the employees seek and accept responsibility of doing tasks according to the responses of the manager. The mentioned characteristics recommended by the manager support theory Y of the Mc Gregory theory. The Herzberg two factor theories argues that that other employees work well when they are provided with motivators while others work well when provided with hygiene factors. Managers recommends that certain motivators are in place to encourage satisfaction among the employees. Some of the motivators mentioned include job titles, rewarding good workers, allowing participation and giving opportunity for them to research. The manager recommendation showed that the organization is not doing well in providing hygienic factors which lead to job dissatisfied (Kember, 2016 p.23). Mc Clelands three needs theory states that for motivation to take place it requires three motivators which include: need for achievement, need for power, and need for affiliation. The managers recommendation showed that employees lack the need for achievement they do not set goals for achievements, they also lack need for power because they lack ambition to be leaders, and in addition the managers recommendations showed that employees do not have any social affiliation they lack common groups to associate with. On the basis of the contemporary theories of motivation certain clauses go hand with certain practices of the organization according to the managers recommendations (Gss, Burger Drner 2017, p.885). On goal setting theory and manager recommendation there were prove that employees are able to set their own goals which can enable them to achieve the intended performance. The goal setting theory enables the employees to provide feedback that can be useful in management of organizations. According to manager recommendations employees are rewarded on the performance they have achieved that enables them to get motivated to design own job. Based on the equity theory and managers recommendations it showed that equity is being promoted among the employees which encourages them to be motivated to work harder (Kanfer, Frese Johnson 2017, p.338). As per the managers recommendations all the employees were working on the basis of expectancy theory in order for the organization to recognize their efforts. The manager stated that they have unique grouping of workers and its contribution to motivation towards achievement of intended goals (Kember 2016, p.42). According to the manager recommendations the organization has implemented a low cost reward program which is used to motivate employees to work. That is in line with the reward scheme theory and according to manager recommendations that employees are subjected on pay for performance where they are paid on the nature of the work achieved. References Bratton, J., Gold, J. (2017).Human resource management: theory and practice. Palgrave. Cook, D. A., Artino, A. R. (2016). Motivation to learn: an overview of contemporary theories.Medical education,50(10), 997-1014. Guilln, M. (2018). Creating Better Human Motivation Theories for Personal Flourishing in Organizations. InPersonal Flourishing in Organizations(pp. 49-65). Springer, Cham. Gss, C. D., Burger, M. L., Drner, D. (2017). The Role of Motivation in Complex Problem Solving.Frontiers in psychology,8, 851. Kanfer, R., Frese, M., Johnson, R. E. (2017). Motivation related to work: A century of progress.Journal of Applied Psychology,102(3), 338. Kember, D. (2016). Relationship to Other Theories of Motivation. InUnderstanding the Nature of Motivation and Motivating Students through Teaching and Learning in Higher Education(pp. 21-41). Springer, Singapore.