Articles by Geetha Iyer

The clicking sound it makes, during an acrobatic jump that it has mastered, gives this insect its name – the click beetle. Surprise movements or, conversely, feigning dead, are common…

Temporary wetlands are small and shallow aquatic habitats that, more often than not, dry annually or periodically. The period or length of time water is present within them is referred…

The geographical position of India is in the tropics. The sun shines brightly throughout the year, except for some days during the monsoon season. As per estimates, India gets around…

When life inside a rainforest is so enchanting, what would life on its roof be like? Where the crown of the rainforest trees bursts forth to brush against the atmospheric…

Who can forget the image of Tarzan swinging from tree to tree, crossing streams hanging on woody vines? Tarzan's natural bridges and ladders in the forest are a category of…

Eyes straight out of a cartoon, raptorial legs resembling the praying mantis, a body pattern like a wasp, and finely woven wings that would be a lacemaker’s dream – mantispids…

The evolution of insects About 500 million years ago (MYA), the Earth experienced a remarkable evolutionary event. Called the Cambrian explosion, it resulted in the emergence of a plethora of…

When was the last time an insect fell in your soup? Or down your collar under a bright street lamp? Insects rarely land on window panes on a rainy night…

Deserts are harsh ecosystems defined by high daytime temperatures that can dehydrate bodies quickly and low night temperatures that demand warm shelters. Despite the extremes, deserts are sanctuaries to a…

In the stillness of the night the hoot of an owl, the howl of a wolf, a frog’s croak or an insect's tweet have both a thrill and an eeriness…

Insects are known more for the harm they cause than for the good they do. But diverse families of insects are doing the job of protecting forests from sap sucking,…

When talking about biodiversity, it is that of the forests, oceans and large biomes that often get the most attention. Correspondingly, charismatic species such as tigers, elephants, apes, birds, snakes,…