Insects and Spiders
Webs In The Wind
Webs in the Wind, published in 1949, is an odd, obscure book. The author, Winifred Duncan, decided that she wanted to learn more about spiders — creatures about which she previously had almost no knowledge.To do so, she caught spiders outside, released them in her house, and then patiently observed their behavior as they went about building webs in her curtains, between pieces of furniture, behind her toilet, etc. Her book is full of illustrations of the spider webs throughout her house.
Only after observing the spiders for months did she start reading any of the existing scientific literature about spiders.
Used copies of her book are quite expensive, starting at around $35. But you can read the entire book for free at the Hathitrust archive.
Posted By: Alex - Sun Nov 28, 2021 -
Comments (1)
Category: Insects and Spiders, Books, 1940s
What happens when a fly lands on your food
1970 ad for the UK Health Education Council. The text is credited to Charles Saatchi, who was then a young advertising executive (and is now a wealthy art collector).More info: The Guardian
Posted By: Alex - Tue Aug 31, 2021 -
Comments (1)
Category: Food, Insects and Spiders, Advertising, 1970s
Jiminy Cricket’s Safety Songs
The first song from the album is in the video, but the entire album is here for your listening pleasure.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Apr 27, 2021 -
Comments (0)
Category: Death, Insects and Spiders, Movies, Music, PSA’s, Children, 1950s
man vs. fly
A little over a week ago, I posted about a woman who, in 1985, managed to blow the roof off her house while trying to kill some insects. Now recent news has provided a follow-up:I checked to see if Chuck had ever decided that people destroying their homes while trying to kill insects was a 'No Longer Weird' type of story, and yes, he had! In his Sept 18, 2016 column, he listed the following story under the 'no longer weird' heading:
Posted By: Alex - Wed Sep 09, 2020 -
Comments (3)
Category: Insects and Spiders
Woman vs. Bugs
October 1985: Deciding that a single can of bug spray hadn't been enough, Marilyn Lucas set off 15 cans simultaneously. The resulting explosion blew the roof off her house. The bugs survived.
Fort Worth Star Telegram - Oct 30, 1985
Posted By: Alex - Mon Aug 31, 2020 -
Comments (6)
Category: Insects and Spiders, 1980s
Baby and Cockroach
In 2003, the UK children's charity Barnardo's came out with the ad below. It promptly triggered numerous complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority. Barnardo's argued that it "caused distress for good reason, but the ASA banned the ad anyway, saying it could "cause serious or widespread offense."The ad was subsequently voted one of the top 10 ads of 2003 by Campaign magazine.
Of course, the charity must have known it was likely the ad would get banned, but evidently figured the controversy would attract more attention to their message than something more subdued.
Posted By: Alex - Sat Aug 15, 2020 -
Comments (3)
Category: Babies, Charities and Philanthropy, Insects and Spiders, Advertising, Nausea, Revulsion and Disgust
The science of removing bugs from windshields
When you clean bugs off your car's windshield, think of Detroit researcher Clark Wells who spent his career figuring out how best to do this.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch - Mar 22, 1953
The curious actions of Frederick Brownell (left) and Clark Wells at Detroit are in the interests of science. They are using pea-shooter and slingshot to shoot bugs against a windshield at squashing velocity so that Wells, a chemist, can then test fluids to be used in wiper spray to remove them. For his experiments, Wells buys such insects as bumble bees, June bugs, fish flies, deer flies and other of the more succulent species from collectors for amounts up to a dime each.
Huntsville Times - June 20, 1954
Posted By: Alex - Sat Aug 08, 2020 -
Comments (2)
Category: Insects and Spiders, Science, 1950s, Cars
Tarantula Bedding
Available from retailer Ggtrends.An appropriate gift for the arachnophile in your life.
Posted By: Alex - Sun Jul 19, 2020 -
Comments (2)
Category: Furniture, Insects and Spiders
The Bee Bed
Get your free plans here!
Posted By: Paul - Tue Jun 23, 2020 -
Comments (9)
Category: Death, Domestic, Excess, Overkill, Hyperbole and Too Much Is Not Enough, Insects and Spiders
The Boll Weevil Monument
The Wikipedia Page.
Posted By: Paul - Sun May 31, 2020 -
Comments (1)
Category: Agriculture, Insects and Spiders, Regionalism, Statues and Monuments
| Who We Are |
|---|
| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |